Puck's Children
by Jade24
Summary: Two new pranksters emerge during Harry's sixth year. Will they go down in Hogwarts history or get a lifetime of detention with McGonagal and Snape? And will Ginny be the one to turn them in? OCs
1. Uneasy Feelings

Puck's Children By Jade & Masterharper  
  
Disclaimer: We don't own Harry Potter. We don't own Microsoft either, but if J.K. Rowling or Bill Gates is interested in selling, please contact us.  
  
A/N: Masterharper: Jade, can I use your account. (puppy-dog eyes) Jade: Go away, I'm using the computer for writing my stories. Masterharper: But I got a story. Jade: (Sigh) OK, lets hear it. (Masterharper then tells her the idea) Jade: Not bad, but I can make it better....  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Uneasy Feelings  
  
Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry stood in the entrance hall in front of the huge doors of the castle. She stood there waiting thinking the students must have taken longer than usual to get in the boats. Not a good sign for the intelligence of the group. She waited for the usual hard knock at the door so she could perform her annual and secretly favorite duty as Deputy Headmistress. She looked forward to this day every year. Not only was she able to see the looks of astonishment on the children's faces, but since they were young and new to the school, she could tell a lot about the children by their facial expressions. More often then not, she could even predict what house the child would be in, a record even Sybil could not claim.  
  
The knock on the door did come, as much seen in the door shuddering under the force as heard. In practiced form, by the third knock the Professor had a hand on the handle to open it. Pulling it open a bit with ease, she stepped into the entrance blocking any view of the hall with her tall frame and flowing robes. Adopting her trademark stern face she glanced at the huddled first years. She then looked up at the giant man in front of her. Even with her impressive height and being two steps higher then he was she still had to crane her neck up to see him.  
  
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.  
  
"Thank you, Professor Hagrid." Adding the Professor title was the only thing of the little ceremony that had changed since she started. "I will take them from here." Pulling the door wider to let the students and Hagrid in, she could not help but lean in a bit toward Hagrid and whisper so only they could hear, "What took so long?"  
  
What little of Hagrid's face that could be seen behind the beard reddened. "One of the tikes is scared of the lake."  
  
"Aquaphobic?"  
  
Hagrid took on a slightly confused look, "If you say so Professor."  
  
"Thank you Hagrid." McGonagall got rid of the small grin on her face before turning to address the students. Several were staring in awe of the room around them. "Follow me," she commanded and they obeyed. She led them into a small chamber just outside the Great Hall. The murmuring of the other students could be heard, louder than in previous years because of the wait. Facing them she saw almost all of them were peering about nervously. The stood close together, the survival instinct that told them there was safety in numbers was kicking in. It was a pity really, this was the last time they would be standing as group like this. After this they would always, on purpose and unconsciously, divide themselves into groups.  
  
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall started letting her eyes wander among the group, pausing over each student to consider. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses." The first years were dividing their attention between her and drying their clothes, it was raining lightly outside. "The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts." A boy in the front was trying to hide his fear while maintaining an aura of superiority. Probably pureblooded, perhaps related to young Mister Malfoy, he had the same eyes. This one was definitely a Slytherin. "You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room." The boy next to him looked like he would wet his pants. He was also shivering, probably the aquaphobic Hagrid spoke of. A Hufflepuff for sure. "The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." The tallest one in the group, a girl, stared at her like nothing was more interesting. McGonagall would have bet money on her being a Ravenclaw. "Each house has produced outstanding witches and wizards." A boy and girl which, judging by their hand holding and their similar looks, were twins, stood steadfast even though they looked as nervous as the rest. Two more for my house, McGonagall thought with an inward smile.  
  
"While you are Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while and rule-breaking will lose house points." Her eyes moved on to a girl who was dividing her attention between the lecture and the walls. When she looked at the Professor their eyes met. In her hazel-tainted green eyes McGonagall saw a glint of something that set up a red flag. She was not sure what it meant but she knew it was trouble. She had seen similar looks in the eyes of the Marauders and most recently in the Weasley twins. She was fairly sure she had seen the exact look somewhere else, but could not remember where. She dismissed the idea that she would be a troublemaker on par with the Weasleys though. Troublemakers like that came in two's or three's, and she was the only one with the look among the first years.  
  
"At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor." A pretty girl was combing her already perfect hair while listening. Her vanity pointed her to Slytherin. Her clueless look implied Hufflepuff. Mentally, McGonagall crossed her fingers that she would not be in Gryffindor. "I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours." A boy dripping in mud stood next to the pretty girl. One would have thought he had fallen in a puddle, but his smile on his face made it seem that he had been rolling in it.  
  
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school." She paused and looked at the mud-covered boy again. "I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." With that she turned and left the chamber. The look in the girl's eyes still bothered her. She knew she shouldn't worry, but she still had an uneasy feeling about the year.  
  
*****  
  
Inside the Great Hall the students were catching up with one another. At the Slytherin table, Prefect Draco Malfoy was shaking hands with his admirers and those that just made nice to him not to stand out. At Hufflepuff, the new Head Boy was giving a lecture to the students about winning the house cup this year. Only one of the prefects, Ernie Macmillan was listening. At Gryffindor the so-called "Dream Team" was saying hello to all of their friends, while Ginny Weasley showed off her new prefect badge to her friends. At the Ravenclaw table the scene was very similar. Except for one person.  
  
Like the others he was sitting with his friends. In fact he was sitting next to his best friend, Zachariah Arrowsmith, who was showing off his new prefect badge and carrying a conversation with their two other friends. While the others talked about Quidditch, the prefect leaned over to his friend. "Hey Patrick, what's happening?"  
  
Patricio "Patrick" MacGregor gave his reply deadpan. "Not much since the last time you asked, Zack."  
  
Zack sighed, "Look man, I'm as surprised as you that I got the badge. We both know you should have, you're the smart one. You can do almost every spell the teachers throw at us. I don't know what Dumbledore was thinking." He stopped for a moment. "Maybe if you actually did the homework before the day it was due." He trailed off with a slight grin.  
  
Patrick snorted, "Yeah, or maybe if he thought anyone would listen to me."  
  
"They would when you started hitting them with curses that would have them in the hospital wing for a week." Zack laughed loudly at this and, after an unsuccessful attempt to keep it in, Patrick joined him. The reminder of the incident that started their friendship in the first place got rid of the ill feelings.  
  
"Well," Patrick said thoughtfully, "This does keep me from having to become respectable." After a moment a cruel smile crossed his face. "And I don't have to worry about you bugging me to set you up with-" He was cut off when Zack put a hand over his mouth. Zack looked frantically at their two friends and was relieved that they apparently were still engrossed in Quidditch. He then looked over his shoulder at the Gryffindor table to make sure his now fellow prefect hadn't heard the remark. She was still talking to her friends, her red hair standing out among them. Shooting his friend a look that communicated that he would be more then happy if a basilisk came and gobbled Patrick up, he lowered his hand. Patrick chuckled and took a drink of water from his bottle; he had been smart enough to come prepared for the wait.  
  
"It would be smart to remember that I can give detentions," Zack threatened.  
  
"It would be smart to remember what happened to the last prefect who did that to me," Patrick replied with a mixture of mirth and warning. Last year, Ernie MacMillian had given him detention for running in the hallway after Patrick had run into him. Soon after, Ernie had walked around all day with a sign on his back that neither he nor the teachers could see. Ernie had yet to lecture Patrick again. "Especially since I'll have help this year."  
  
"Oh yeah," said Zack remembering. "Your sister starts this year."  
  
"Yep." And as if on cue, the doors to the Great Hall opened and Professor McGonagall led the first years in. Since he was sitting on the wall side of the Ravenclaw table, Patrick had a fine view of the procession. As his sister passed she gave a small wave and smile. Nodding recognition and smiling back Patrick sat back and waited for the Sorting to begin, because after tonight's ceremony, the real fun began.  
  
A/N: Pranks galore ahead. R&R Thanks! 


	2. The Sorting

Disclaimer: We do not own Harry Potter. Dumbledore says he doesn't sell his students.  
  
A/N: Jade: It's all about me!!!!!! Masterharper: No it's not. Jade: Yes it is...see here. The girl with the odd look in her eyes strode up to the- Masterharper: Stop. You'll give it all away. Jade: Then let the loverly people get on to reading our loverly story! Masterharper: Loverly?  
  
Puck's Children  
  
Chapter 2:  
  
The Sorting  
  
The Sorting Hat finished its song with the usual applause at the end. Professor McGonagall took her accustomed position next to the hat with a long roll of parchment.  
  
Addressing the first years, which were all in various states of nervousness, she said, "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." With a pause, she opened the scroll and spoke the first name, "Armstrong, Kyle."  
  
The boy who had been shivering before and now looked as if he were convulsing stepped forward and sat on the stool. The hat seemed to try to keep from falling off his head. After it had sat on for a minute, it shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" The table on the far left clapped, a little less enthusiastic then usual because they could see him shaking even in the back. Out of the corner of the Professor's eye she saw Professor Snape, head of Slytherin, smile and do a small clap of his own. She saw in his eyes that plans were already forming about how to eat the kid alive. All McGonagall was thinking was how unfair it was that her house would have both Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Longbottom in it.  
  
She read the names one by one. "Dagmar, Gilda," the girl with the perfect hair, became the first Slytherin. The two twins, "Ellis, Norina," and "Ellis, Norwood," became Gryffindors. The still mud covered boy stepped forward at, "Longfellow, Allen." The hat barely touched his head when it shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" After he trotted off to off to the table and plop down next to Mr. Armstrong, McGonagall grimaced while she tried to clean some of the mud off the hat. She saw Snape doing his little victory celebration again. Whispering to the hat she asked, "Could you give me a worse group of students?" She thought she saw the hat smile.  
  
"MacGregor, Morgan." The girl with the odd look in her eyes strode up to the hat purposely, not showing a bit of nervousness. Perhaps a Gryffindor, McGonagall mused. After brushing a little more of the mud off the hat she placed it on her head. While the hat decided McGonagall turned to her own thoughts. So MacGregor was her name. There was a boy in his fifth year, Patricio MacGregor, who was quite possibly the best at Transfiguration in his year, almost rivaling Ms. Granger in ability. She had heard the other teachers talk of him, but they talked about every student. Then again, Professor Flitwick often bragged about his abilities in charms, also comparing him to Granger. McGonagall thought he was a bit bias, the boy was in Ravenclaw, but she had checked, in his year only young Miss Weasley rivaled his test scores in charms and in a few other classes as well. His overall scores were just a little above average though. He, like Miss Weasley, would have been the best in his year if he put more effort into the homework. But the girl looked nothing like him. While they both had brown hair, hers was a light brown, while his was almost black. Their bone and facial structure were very different, only enough to show a hint of relation. His skin was a pale white while hers had a slight tan to it. Their eyes shared a brown tint, but hers were mostly green while his where mostly blue. The eyes. Then the memory hit her. Before the ceremony five years ago she had seen the same look that was in her eyes in his. She had been worried then as well, for she had seen a similar look in Miss Weasley and troublemakers always came in groups. But the look had gone away as young Mr. MacGregor had matured. She remembered he had only gotten a detention once, McGonagall remembered everyone's detention records. However, McGonagall's fears were coming back; if the girl was sorted into Ravenclaw she and her brother could cause trouble. Speaking of the girl getting sorted...  
  
The hat remained on her head, not moving. It had been sitting there for a long time while the Professor had been lost in thought. The other students where starting to murmur to one another. Of course, McGonagall remembered that her brother had taken an unusually long time as well to be sorted, but surely he had not taken this long. She looked over at the head table and saw Professor Dumbledore with an interested expression on his face as if the girl had just put the hat on. Professor Snape was scowling at being forced to wait. Professor Flitwick removed his watch from his robes and looked at it. Looking at McGonagall he held up four short fingers to show that four minutes had past. McGonagall had heard that the record was just short of ten minutes but that had happened before she began teaching. A thought crossed her mind. Among first years she remembered, the greatest fear during the ceremony was that the hat would not say anything and a teacher would come up take the hat and say there was a mistake and that they were not supposed to be here. She had never heard of that happening but anything was possible. She would be the one to tell this student there was a mistake made, but how would she tell that to this little girl. McGonagall continued to ponder this as the hat stayed motionless. As the wait approached five minutes the hat's rip opened wide. "SLYTHERIN!"  
  
*  
  
Patrick joined the loud clapping from the Slytherin table. Most of the other Ravenclaws didn't mind, they assumed from the last name that the two were related; sometimes it helped to be in the house known for their intelligence. A few other non-Slytherins joined in, thankful to have the long wait over and the ceremony proceeding smoothly.  
  
The list went on. A rather regal looking boy, "Tudor, Vladimir," became a Slytherin and got the loudest clapping yet. At the last name, "Yair, Temira," a very tall girl step forward and ended the Sorting with "RAVENCLAW!" Patrick clapped hard with the rest of the house while she found a seat. McGonagall took the stool and hat away and Headmaster Dumbledore rose to his feet.  
  
"Welcome! Another year has begun at Hogwarts, and I for one am looking forward to seeing all your young faces yearning to be taught." This drew a few laughs from around the room with more than one teacher rolling their eyes. "Before we begin the start of term feast I have a request. If you see the blueberry tart please pass it to me. Thank you!"  
  
As soon as he sat down the food appeared at the tables. Patrick and Zack dug into the food along with the other students.  
  
After stuffing his face with a drumstick Zack glanced at the Slytherin table. "So that's your sister."  
  
"So my parents tell me," replied Patrick with a hint of regret. This drew a look from Zack who soon started choking on a piece of chicken he had forgotten to chew.  
  
After a bit more eating Zack looked at Morgan again. "Funny, she doesn't look a thing like you. What kind of name is Morgan anyway? It's a guy's name, right?"  
  
"It's both a guy and girl name, moron. But she doesn't like to be called that. She prefers Fay. And we get that 'we don't look alike thing' all the time. Pass the potatoes."  
  
The conversation turned to other things, until Luna Lovegood sat down across from Patrick. She stuck a fork into a pudding that was sitting on Zack's plate, put it in her mouth, and shook her head. Zack looked at her is incomprehension. Beside him Patrick was shaking in silent laughter. Luna hadn't changed much during the summer. She still had her straggly blond hair, which had her wand sticking out of it, her protuberant eyes, and odd taste in jewelry, currently a necklace with a blue radish on it. She piled her plate with food, some of it coming from her neighbors, and proceeded to stare at Patrick almost unblinking. If it were anyone else, it would have been a sign of infatuation, but this was typical Luna behavior, and she was staring at him because he was across from her.  
  
"Hello Luna. How was your summer?" Patrick asked with a small grin, used to Luna's strangeness.  
  
"Fine," Luna said in her typical dreamily, vague way. "My Dad and I went to Sweden on an expedition to catch the Crumple-Horned Snorkack."  
  
"Did you catch anything?" Zack asked mockingly. Patrick elbowed him while Luna fixed her stare on him, as if she had not seen him there before.  
  
She apparently mistook his question for interest and answered, "No, but something was definitely eating the bait we left out, but the traps didn't work. We also found other evidence like tracks and droppings." Zack tried to stifle his laughter but did not succeed. Luna, oblivious to this, returned her stare to Patrick and changed the conversation abruptly as only Luna could. "The group I was sitting with told me that the food was better at this end of the table. It isn't, I tried, so I must tell them tonight they were mistaken." She then turned her attention to her food, ending the conversation. That explained her earlier actions, Patrick thought. Luna was often the object of jokes and pranks by her schoolmates. The other girls in their year were particularly vicious; stealing her things was one of their running gags. Luna, to her credit, didn't seem to mind. Although whether or not she realized what was meant by it was up for debate.  
  
The feast went on with the usual eating and talking until Patrick noticed his sister, Fay, try to catch his eye. He nodded congratulations and raised his goblet in salute. Luna noticed the gestured and turned in her seat to see Fay return it. "Is that your sister?" she asked vaguely.  
  
"Yeah. Her name's Fay," Patrick answered.  
  
"As in Morgan le Fay?" Patrick nodded.  
  
"I can see the resemblance, especially around the eyes." With that she returned to her eating, leaving two of her classmates looking at her is amazement. Zack stared amazed at how loony she was. Patrick stared because she was the first person outside the family to see it.  
  
*********  
  
The next morning at breakfast the first years straggled into the Great Hall in groups, not daring to risk being lost alone on their first day. Except Fay, Patrick noticed. She came in alone, confident she knew the way.  
  
Breakfast went on as normal until shortly after the schedules were handed out. At that point Fay took out a piece of paper from her bag and started to write on it with her wand like a pencil. Her neighbors noticed that the wand didn't seem to write anything and thought it strange. After writing a few sentences of nothing she tapped the paper three times. The paper folded itself into what seemed to be a paper airplane and with that she picked it up and threw it across the room.  
  
Almost all the students stared as the paper airplane flew over the Hufflepuff table and headed for the Ravenclaw table. Paper airplanes were rare at Hogwarts and some students thought some one was going to get into trouble. Luckily Snape was the closest teacher and just watched the plane go by. He would never cause a Slytherin to get in trouble, not even a new one. It descended and landed in the Patrick outstretched hand. Tapping the airplane three times with his wand, it unfolded and he set it besides his plate to read. It read: First class is Defense Against the Dark Arts. Meet after?  
  
Zack looked over at Patrick while his friend read. After a bit he felt compelled to say something. "Patrick, there is nothing on the paper. Why are you staring at it? And tell your sister she can't just throw paper airplanes in the Great Hall, you don't want her first day to be spent in detention."  
  
Patrick smiled and looked at him. "Maybe I do, it would be sweet revenge for a couple of things." He chuckled. "Don't worry, we won't get detention for it. I checked the rules before I made the thing. As long as it's not during class teachers can't stop any form of communication between students, except public displays of affection, and if it doesn't bother anyone." Zack gave him a confused look. "The paper is actually a letter on a piece of paper I've bewitched so only people related to me can see, like my sister."  
  
Zack seemed to be impressed but then his eyes went wide. "Patrick, you did magic over the summer. You had too to make that. You can get expelled for that!"  
  
Patrick waved his hand dismissively. "Of course I didn't do it over the summer."  
  
"Then when did you do it?"  
  
"On the train while I was mad at you for getting the badge." A Gryffindor prefect sitting down next to Zack interrupted further conversation.  
  
"Hi Patrick, hi Zack." Zack suddenly stood ramrod strait and stared at the speaker. Patrick saw this and shook his head.  
  
"Hi Ginny. Have a good summer?" Patrick had been a friend with Ginny Weasley since first year. Because both of them had not made friends right away, Professor Sprout had paired them up together in Herbology, an arrangement that remained.  
  
Ginny gave Zack a strange look while she waited for him to respond. Zack just stared and gaped so she turned her attention to Patrick. "It was fine. Look, I'm over here to warn you. Hermione Granger saw the plane and she is a little upset about it. Do it again and she'll be over here to scold you."  
  
"You can tell her it is not against the rules, yes I checked, so she can't stop me or Fay." To clarify he pointed across the hall to Fay. "My sister."  
  
Ginny looked over at the Slytherin table. "So that is your sister." She had apparently guessed last night during the Sorting but hadn't been sure. "She doesn't look a thing like you. Sorry she's in Slytherin though. Doesn't she know they turn out Dark Wizards?"  
  
"Knowing her, she might be their Dark Queen by now." Both he and Ginny laughed while Zack continued to stare. Ginny looked around Zack at the piece of paper.  
  
"Bewitched?" Patrick nodded. "Well, try not to make Hermione too angry. She's not very nice when she's angry." Ginny glanced once more at Fay. "Is she as quiet as you usually are?"  
  
Patrick smiled. "Not a chance." Ginny laughed and walked back to her table.  
  
After she left, Zack continued to stare where she had been. Finally he spat out, "Hi," then put his head down and started to hit it on the table. Patrick patted him supportively on the back for a bit then pulled out his wand and began to write on the paper. He wrote: Sure, meet you in courtyard. He tapped the paper three times and it folded itself. It was soon flying across the room.  
  
Snape, however was still the closest teacher, he was explaining what a schedule was to Goyle. He had no qualms about getting a Ravenclaw in trouble. So as the entire school watched he raised his wand and said "Accio." The plane headed right toward him and he stretched out his hand to grab it. Suddenly, however, the plane sped up and hurtled toward Snape at high speed. It struck him right between his eyes with enough force to cause him to stumble backward into a confused Goyle. After striking Snape the plane corrected course and headed right for Fay. No one ever tried to intercept one of their planes again. 


	3. Operation Doorjam

Disclaimer: We do not own Harry Potter, JKR does. We just like to play on her playground. Jade likes the seesaw.  
  
Puck's Children  
  
By Masterharper & Jade  
  
Masterharper: Dun dun dun!!! The first prank!  
  
Jade: Ssshhh! They'll hear you. Anyway, Snape isn't going to get hurt, is he? ::worried::  
  
*pause*  
  
Masterharper: No.  
  
Jade: Good. ::goes to upload chapter::  
  
Masterharper: Not too much anyway.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 3: OPERATION DOOR-JAM  
  
The night enveloped Hogwarts' grounds like a blanket. At three in the morning, even students who had assignments due the next morning had given up and went to bed. All candles were extinguished and there was not a single light in castle, except one.  
  
In the dungeons Professor Snape, who looked more tired and anxious then his norm stormed down the hallways toward his office holding his presently glowing wand with a small owl flying behind him. He had just received a letter sent by owl post informing him of the Dark Lord's, he would always be the Dark Lord to Snape, next move. Snape new he would have to find Dumbledore soon if the Order was to act on the information, but first he would have to reply to the letter's sender. Opening the door to his office he held it open just long enough for the owl to enter and land on the chair at Snape's desk. Not having the time he left the door to close on it's own while he searched his desk drawers for quill and parchment it closed.  
  
As well as making the sound a door usually made there was also the soft thud of something running into wood. Soon afterwards, Snape swore he heard a soft but noticeable, "Ouch!" Immediately Snape's spy honed mind seized on the sound and reached the only realistic conclusion. Someone had bumped into the door. Someone who had been following him. He had been trailed.  
  
Pulling out his wand he held it toward the door while he concentrated on trying to hear anything on the other side; feet shuffling, heavy breathing, anything. Hearing nothing, he approached the door cautiously, as if it might burst open at any moment revealing the Dark Lord coming to eliminate him, which was a totally reasonable possibility at the moment. Slowly he put his hand on the doorknob. Flinging the door open wide he held his wand high ready to be attacked or to attack. Scanning the hallway with his eyes he saw no one. Sticking out his head through the doorway to look to the sides revealed similar results. Still, there was almost no light down here, just the light from his wand, giving the whole area a feeling of danger. Of course, he reasoned, just because he couldn't see the person didn't mean that there was no one there. The stalker could be wearing an invisibility cloak. There could be a whole army out there wearing invisibility cloaks and he would never know. The last thought sent a shiver up Snape's spine. He soon rejected the idea of an army; he was being too paranoid he reasoned. If it was an army he would at least be hearing breathing. However, the possibility remained that it was a group of stalkers, and that didn't help his nerves one bit.  
  
Suddenly he heard a hoot behind him. He swung around and sent at least three curses the way of the sound before remembering the owl. Luckily, in his panic, he had forgot to aim, and the owl flew unharmed on to the top of the cabinet and stared at Snape in fury. Snape forced himself to laugh and inwardly cursed himself for acting like a frightened first year. He decided to finish the letter and closed the door behind him.  
  
When it closed there was another thud, and before Snape heard the "Ouch," he flung open the door and sent a myriad of curses through the doorway. After a minute of constant curses Snape stopped. Breathing heavily he looked around. Nothing was amiss. All he had hit was the walls of the dungeon, which now had scorch marks. Frustrated to the point only Longbottom and Potter had gotten him to before, he slammed the door shut.  
  
This time there was a much louder thud, and a much louder "Ouch!" Staring at the door in fear Snape sat down in his desk chair, wand in hand. He would stay in this position until the door opened or until the sun rose, whichever happened first.  
  
* Patrick and Fay where among the first ones at breakfast. They couldn't help but cast amused glances across the hall at each other as people described the odd behavior of the doors and the inconveniences it had caused. Fortunately no one noticed.  
  
Zack looked half-asleep as he told Patrick his story. Zack had gotten up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, at two he believed. Patrick was relieved that Zack had not noticed that Patrick's bed had been empty at the time. When Zack had closed the door to the boys' bathroom, he had heard a soft thud, and a feminine voice say "Ouch." Fearing a girl had sneaked up to the boys' bathroom he had reopened the door revealing that no one was there. Spending the next two hours opening, closing, and occasionally pretending to close and then jerking the door open, Zack had lost quite a bit of sleep including the time he spent laying in bed feeling uncomfortable about the entire situation. Zack's disappointment that there hadn't been a girl stalking him, he was very handsome in his humble opinion, remained unsaid but was evident in his telling. Patrick only smiled and nodded at his friend's story, silently bursting in laughter on the inside.  
  
At the Slytherin table, Fay heard much the same thing. The difference was that she was not being told the story, but learned it by eavesdropping on Gilda's group, also known as the entire first year Slytherin girls except Fay. They apparently had felt the need to go to the bathroom at the same time, in other words, Gilda had decided to go. They had spent a large chunk of the morning trying to figure out why when the door on the girl's bathroom closed did it say ouch in a husky man's voice. Fay couldn't help but snort when she heard Gilda claiming that it was probably Draco Malfoy bumping into the door while trying to get a better look at her. No one mentioned that in the week since the start of term, Malfoy had yet to call her by her correct name.  
  
All around the Great Hall, students were talking about their encounters with doors all around the school, all doing the same thud-ouch thing. Of course after the tales were finished people started to ask around whom had done the masterful prank. More than one claimed responsibility but was ignored when they couldn't explain how. Only two people knew who had done it and they weren't telling.  
  
A plane flew from the Slytherin table to the Ravenclaw table. It was largely ignored; the students had gotten used to it over the week. Unfolding it, Patrick read: OPERATION DOOR JAM a success. The different sounding ouches were a masterful touch. My compliments on the idea.  
  
Smiling, Patrick picked up his wand and wrote back: Thanks, but it was your idea to bewitch the doors. Let's take the day off. Planning for OPERATION SNOW BOUND begins tomorrow at lunch. Feel free to sleep in.  
  
He quickly sent the plane back over. After running around after midnight last night, it would do them both good to get some extra sleep.  
  
******  
  
Professor McGonagall slammed her classroom door behind her, the frustration and fury radiating off her like light from a candle. It took a significant amount of self-control not to scream when she heard the thud followed by the usual "Ouch." She, along with the rest of the school had been putting up with this all day and it was driving her crazy. During the afternoon class she had nearly bitten the head off a Slytherin first year when the poor girl had closed the door behind her loudly. Peeves had been having a field day of wandering the school and slamming every door he could find, constantly interrupting nearby classes when the door screamed "OUCH!"  
  
A small knock at the door forced McGonagall to calm down. "Yes," she called with a little more anger in her voice than she intended. "Come in."  
  
A small girl with brown hair stuck her head in. It was the same girl she had yelled at this afternoon. "Sorry to disturb you, Professor, but I think I left my textbook in here."  
  
McGonagall waved her in and took a seat at her desk. Looking up she saw the girl enter and begin to close the door like any other day. Realizing what was happening the Professor almost shouted, "And don't close the..." The door closed with a thud and an ouch. "...door.". The girl looked over her shoulder looking terrified that she would get into trouble, again. McGonagall sighed and put a hand up to her face and began massaging her temples. Walking to her desk quickly the girl picked up her textbook and turned to leave the classroom as quickly as possible. The teacher in McGonagall knew she had to apologize to the student and soon or the girl might grow terrified of her.  
  
"Wait. Miss. Gregor, isn't it." The small girl turned, not daring to take her eyes off the floor.  
  
"No Professor. My name is Morgan MacGregor, but my friends call me Fay."  
  
"Well, Miss. MacGregor, I must apologize for how I treated you just now and earlier. It is these doors, you see, they are making me," she paused while mentally grasping for the right word, "irritable." There was an awkward silence; neither was used to teacher to student apologies. "Is your brother Patrick MacGregor." Fay nodded. "Ah, I see. Do you share his skill in Transfiguration?" Fay shrugged, slowly lifting her head to look at the professor. Seeing that Professor McGonagall was not going to accept a shrug she said, "I don't know Professor. I just started you see."  
  
McGonagall nodded sagely. "Of course, of course. I hope so, Miss. MacGregor. Your brother is one of the best students I have had the pleasure of teaching. He is quite possibly the best in his year in Transfiguration and a few other things as well. Other than his homework problem, he is an ideal student, never gets in trouble and is eager to learn." At this a strange look came over Fay MacGregor's face for a brief moment before vanishing. A cross between amusement and something that seemed almost like pity. It reminded the professor of the look in the girl's eyes at the Sorting. The uneasy feeling also came back with the memory. "I wish you luck in your studies, Miss. MacGregor. You may go." McGonagall turned her attention to papers that had to be graded. Fay turned on her heel and marched quickly out of the room.  
  
When she left, the door closed with a large amount of force. The thud and ouch caused McGonagall's anger to flare up again. 'That was the last straw,' she thought and with that she stood up and stormed out into the corridor seeking the Headmaster. In her haste, she did not notice the small brown hair girl in a side hallway cracking up with laughter.  
  
*  
  
"Albus, you have to stop this. These doors are a annoyance that will not go away."  
  
"An annoyance, I thought they were rather funny."  
  
McGonagall's face reddened with frustration. Only the Headmaster would find something like this funny. "This is not like the tricks the Weasley twins pulled, Albus, these are disrupting classes."  
  
"My dear Minerva, the students are learning to ignore these interruptions. Some of them are even laughing about it. But if they annoy you so much, you have my permission to take the charm off every single door."  
  
Her voice dropped into a dangerous growl. "I am unable to take the charm off the doors. I wasted my entire lunch hour trying to get it off my classroom door. I tried every counter spell I knew."  
  
"Really." Dumbledore raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I didn't realize the spell was that powerful and that well thought out. Root beer barrel." The gargoyle guarding the entrance to his office moved aside to let them past. "I didn't think one of the students would put so much effort into this prank."  
  
"Prank!" McGonagall's voice rose with every word. "Prank! Albus this is no prank! This is a...a...nuisance to society." With that she slammed the door to the office with enough force to cause the walls to shake. There was the all to familiar thud followed by the uncharacteristic sound of a man saying "Ow!" McGonagall was too upset to notice the change. "Who ever did this must be caught and punished, possibly expelled."  
  
Dumbledore chuckled. "Minerva, I wouldn't go that far. It is a prank, a simple prank. No one got hurt, with the possible exception of our dear Professor Snape."  
  
"Severus was hurt? When? How?"  
  
"Just now, when you slammed the door on his face."  
  
McGonagall gasped and quickly opened the door. The limp body of Snape was pushed through the doorframe by the magical stairs. "Oh. Severus, I am so sorry. I did not mean to. I...I..."  
  
Snape groaned and slowly lifted himself off the floor. After standing up right again he rubbed his large nose and winced. "Don't let it happen again," he hissed.  
  
"Anything broken Severus?" Dumbledore asked. "No. Good. As for the doors, since Minerva does not seem able to get rid of the charm, I will have Professor Flitwick look into it." Both McGonagall and Snape were pleased with the decision until they noticed the gleam in Dumbledore's eye. "However, he is at a conference and won't return until Monday."  
  
"Monday!" McGonagall exclaimed.  
  
Snape scowled before contributing. "Headmaster, that means the charm will be up all weekend. Would it not be better for everyone for you to take these charms down."  
  
Dumbledore looked them both in the eye. "Yes, I supposed it would be," he said quite cheerfully, annoying the other professors. "Unfortunately, I have too much to do. Run the school and plot how to save the world. You know, same old, same old. That will be all for today." With a final smile he looked down at the paper on his desk. The two professors went out of the room with identical scowls.  
  
A/N: Please R & R! Thanks! Oh yeah, and bring a warm jacket for the next chapter. 


	4. The Great Blizzard of Thursday

Disclaimer: We don't own Harry Potter. No one owns anything. The government does. Therefore we must rebel. Rebel!  
  
Jade: REBEL!  
  
Masterharper: We're supposed to be writing stories, not leading the readers into anarchy.  
  
Jade: Anarchy...fun.  
  
Masterharper: No, anarchy, bad. Communism, good.  
  
Jade: Oh god. Anyway..."I said brr! It's cold in here! There must be some mischief in the atmosphere!"  
  
Masterharper: What?  
  
Jade: Never mind. It's a stupid movie. This is a good chapter though. Hope you brought your mittens!  
  
Puck's Children  
  
By Masterharper and Jade  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The Great Blizzard of Thursday  
  
The Great Hall was filled with the usual chatter at supper. In the two weeks since the start of term the first years had gained enough confidence to actually talk during the meal to one another. Whether this was a good thing or not depended on if the child's parents had taught them not to talk with their mouth full. The students were so focused on their conversations and food that it took a few moments for all to realize that the Headmaster was standing. After waiting for the students to quiet, Dumbledore spoke.  
  
"I will try to make this as short as possible so you may continue to stuff your faces to your delight. I have a few announcements.  
  
"The horrible prank that was so expertly played on all of us is no more. Professor Flitwick has finished removing the charms off all the doors." He paused while there was a round of applause. "So as a reminder, if you close the door and hear a ouch, please be sure to open the door immediately and offer assistance to the person whose nose you have just broken.  
  
"The masterminds behind this rather creative joke have yet to be caught. However, our own Mr. Filch assures me that he is rigorously pursuing every lead and will find the perpetrators soon. He has also suggested suitable punishments for the pranksters. Most of these suggestions will not be followed through on because, after contacting the Ministry of Magic, I was informed that most are illegal since they result in the painful death of the individuals. I'm sure you all will join me in wishing the best of speed to Mr. Filch in his investigation and best of speed to the ones running from him.  
  
"Apparently two of the teachers are offering their aid to the investigation. Professor McGonnagal is offering a hundred points for information leading to the apprehension of the pranksters. Professor Snape has offered to give those responsible a quick death by poison if they turn themselves in now. A worthy reward indeed since he reminded me he is capable of making poisons that kill over the course of a year.  
  
"On a lighter note, Professor Flitwick has informed me that who ever performed the charm is very gifted. He asks that after the perpetrators survive their punishment that they be transferred to his higher-level charm classes. I of course, feel it is my duty to remind all of the returning students as well as to tell the first years, that tampering with the doors of Hogwarts is strictly against the rules as are pranks of any kind. That said, I would like to say that the prank brought me several nights of laughter and I am sure that three years hence we will all look back on it and laugh. Thank you for your attention, you may now stuff your face." Almost as soon as he sat down the students began to converse and debate over the information they had just heard. Hardly anyone noticed the paper airplane flying across the room.  
  
*  
  
As soon as dinner ended Patrick rose from his seat and hurried out of the Great Hall. He then stood impatiently near the doors. Zack followed at a more causal pace.  
  
"You know, we gave up racing to see who would be the first one out of the Great Hall in first year," Zack said when he got to where Patrick was.  
  
Patrick shook his head. "I know, I hurried because I have to talk with my sister for a bit and I didn't want to miss her."  
  
Zack raised an eyebrow in puzzlement but didn't try to get Patrick to tell him why he had to talk so badly with Fay. Patrick had been unusually tightlipped about his communications with his sister. "Okay. I'll meet you in the common room. We still have to do potion homework."  
  
Patrick nodded his acknowledgment and Zack went off to the East tower. Fay soon walked through the giant oak doors and right over to Patrick. She had a slightly confused look on her face.  
  
"What's the big problem, Patrick? Something happen in the family or something?"  
  
Patrick shook his head empathetically. "Come with me." Together they walked up the Grand Staircase and proceeded along a hallway.  
  
After they had walked for a bit Patrick whispered "Dumbledore knows."  
  
Fay's face paled slightly. "He can't know. We left no sign, not one, that it could have been us. We checked every passageway to make sure we weren't followed. He can't know."  
  
"Dumbledore has a way of knowing everything that goes on in Hogwarts. Weren't you listening to his speech?" Patrick hissed.  
  
"Is that what this is about? Don't tell me that Snape's threat got to you. Even if they did catch us, Snape would never poison me, I'm a Slytherin, remember?"  
  
"It's not you I'm worried about. And what's to stop McGonagall from turning you into a table and putting you in the Gryffindor common room?" They both stopped to consider this. Fay was the first one burst out in laughter quickly followed by her brother. "Man, I am getting paranoid." His face quickly turned serious. "But I mean it. Dumbledore knows. He kept on referring to the pranksters, not prankster, pranksters. Every other teacher has referred to us as the prankster or villain or something. Dumbledore knows there is more than one person." Fay's eyes widened a little as that fact sank in.  
  
"You're right. But that doesn't mean he knows it's us."  
  
"He also felt 'it was his duty' to tell first years it was against the rules."  
  
"Yeah, he did single out first years, didn't he? But what makes you think he knows about you? He didn't mention fifth years."  
  
Patrick's face showed an uncertain look. "I know it's a stretch, but he said that we would look back on it 'three years hence.'" He stopped, looking at her to make the connection. Fay's eyebrows skyrocketed up after a few heartbeats. When she spoke, it was just above whisper.  
  
"You graduate in three years." Patrick nodded, thankful someone else had made the connection, even if it was his sister. They were silent for a while until Fay spoke with a little more confidence and with a slight smile. "On the other hand, Dumbledore said he liked the prank, and since he hasn't turned us in, that is sort of like approval." As she said it her smile grew more and more mischievous.  
  
Patrick's smile soon matched her own. They suddenly stopped, checking to see if anyone was around and entered a room that no one ever went in.  
  
"Myrtle must be out. Let's go check to see if the potion is done yet." Patrick walked down to the last stall and opened it. Carefully perched on a chamber pot was a black cauldron. The cauldron was filled with an ice blue liquid and cold mist rose from the top.  
  
Fay looked in the stall and smirked. "Looks like Hogwarts is getting an early winter. Better dress warm tomorrow."  
  
******  
  
Ginny tried to pay attention, she really did. She was, after all, a prefect, and therefore should set an example for the rest of the students. 'Where did that idea come from?' she thought. After a few minutes of self- reflection she realized that she had listened too much to Hermione while the older prefect described her duties. Ron's instructions on the matter were much simpler: get as many Slytherins in trouble as possible. But it was hard to pay attention.  
  
Professor McGonagall was lecturing on the proper way to do a switching spell. Since it was only two weeks into term, the class was still reviewing the spells from previous years. Some of the other students had forgotten some of the spells they had learned last year. Ginny, however, knew how to do a switching spell in her sleep, and was having a hard paying attention. She was having such a hard time that she didn't realize it at first when McGonagall dismissed the class.  
  
Mentally, she cursed herself for not paying attention. Collecting her things she made her way to the door. There was a crowd around the door. Upset that since she had not been paying attention she was now going to be the last one out, it took her awhile to realize that the crowd wasn't moving.  
  
"Why isn't the line moving?" she asked the boy in front of her, who happened to be Colin.  
  
Colin looked over the other students' heads; he had had a growth spurt over the summer. "It looks like they can't get out. They're blocked by...snow!?!?!" He looked at her with a confused expression on his face.  
  
Ginny looked back incredulously. "Colin, it's the middle of September and were INSIDE. It can't be snow."  
  
Colin looked again. "Fluffy white stuff. On the ground. Looks like snow to me."  
  
Ginny decided to take matters into her own hands. Pushing her way through the crowd she made her way to the door. "Coming through. Make way. Prefect coming through." Flashbacks to when Percy was prefect came to her. She swore never to say 'Prefect coming through,' again.  
  
When she got to the door, she was amazed. There was a mound of snow blocking the exit, almost a meter in height. She belatedly realized that she had no idea what to do.  
  
Fortunately, McGonagall apparently had begun to wonder why her class was staying by the door. Ginny turned just in time to McGonagall's reaction to the snow. Her face twisted in anger, turning purple with suppressed rage. It made some of Ginny's Mum's tantrums look mild.  
  
McGonagall's face quickly turned to her normal color, but a stern look that made her lips almost disappear replaced the anger. "Move aside please," the professor whispered sending a shiver down the spine of most of the students. McGonagall then raised her wand and murmured a few words. A bright flash exploded from her wand heading toward the door. The spell caused a good amount of the snow to disappear making it possible to step over the mound and into the center of the hallway where the snow was not as deep. McGonagall was the first to leave, storming off down the hallway as quickly as the snow allowed.  
  
The students, by some unspoken agreement, waited until they no longer heard the professor's footsteps before venturing out into the hallway. Ginny began the trek to the Great Hall for lunch.  
  
It soon became apparent the snow was all over the school. At the Grand Staircase two Gryffindor first years, Allen Longfellow and Kyle Armstrong, were arguing.  
  
"Come on Kyle, your not going to get hurt."  
  
"The banister is icy. I'm not going to slide down it."  
  
"It'll be fine, trust me. If you do fall you'll just land in the snow."  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Ginny shook her head and slowly walked down the ice-covered stairway. At the bottom, she saw Filch and Hagrid trying to shovel the snow out the door, which was open revealing a sunny autumn day. Hagrid's waved his shovel, which was as big as a table, at Ginny in greeting. He was cut off from speaking to her by a black blur that came down the banister and went plowing into the snow at the bottom. Hagrid helped Kyle to his feet in time for Kyle to be knocked down by another blur.  
  
Almost to the Great Hall she felt a snowball hit her back. With reflexes honed by living with six older brothers who liked to pick on her, she whipped around to face her attacker while simultaneously scooping up a handful of snow. Her keen eyes found the target and her arm launched the snowball at it. It hit her attacker in the face, knocking him down into a mound of snow.  
  
"Gee, thanks Ginny," Patrick said as dryly as possible. He walked toward her while trying to brush the snow off his face and clothes.  
  
"Serves you right for attacking a poor defenseless little girl." Ginny couldn't keep the grin off her face as she said that.  
  
Patrick snorted. "If that was you defenseless, I hate to see what you can do when you're ready for a fight." Ginny tried to put on a mask of innocence before laughing. Then she noticed something.  
  
"Patrick, why are you wearing a coat? And boots? There hasn't been enough time for you to get to your dorm and here since class let out." She put more of an accusing tone then she meant to.  
  
Patrick laughed showing that he wasn't insulted. "We have Herbology later, remember? It's chilly and muddy out there and I didn't want to spend the time after class wiping off my shoes by the fire. Guess it was a stroke of luck that the blizzard happened today."  
  
Suddenly two projectiles hit them both in the side of the head preventing further questioning. Looking for her new nemesis she saw a little girl, must be a first year, with a wide smile on her face. She was also wearing a coat and boots.  
  
"I'll get you later Fay!" Patrick said in outrage. With that the girl went off to find another victim, forming a large snowball in her hands as she walked. Patrick turned to Ginny and smirked. "Don't worry, I'll get her back. See you around Ginny." He scooped up a handful of snow and stalked after his sister.  
  
Ginny watched him go, hoping to see his sister, Fay, jump out and ambush him. She didn't appear, so Ginny went into the Great Hall, only to see the Headmaster getting ambushed in a different way.  
  
*  
  
Dumbledore stood in the center of the Great Hall. He was also the center of attention since two normally controlled Professors were yelling at him.  
  
"The students couldn't even get out the door-"  
  
"My potions are freezing-  
  
"Had to blast a path for them-"  
  
"They don't work if they freeze-"  
  
"The children are throwing snowballs-"  
  
"The teachers are throwing snowballs-"  
  
"Had to pull Flitwick out of a drift-"  
  
"Hooch HIT ME with a snowball-"  
  
"The stairs are icing-"  
  
"A little GIRL HIT ME with a snowball-"  
  
At this Dumbledore held up a hand for silence. The two teachers stopped but were obviously still fuming. "I know this is an annoyance, and I understand your anger, but what do you want me to do about it. I don't even know how it happened."  
  
"It wasn't there before the last class started," McGonagall noted.  
  
Snape nodded. "Some one must have done it during the class."  
  
Another professor walked into the Hall and joined the discussion. "It wasn't a charm, Headmaster. I tried the anti-snow charm and I barely did anything," Flitwick reported.  
  
Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a few minutes. "Perhaps it is a potion." Attention went to the Potion Master.  
  
Snape thought for a few moments. "It is possible that it is a variation of an icing potion."  
  
McGonagall looked at him quizzically. "You mean that potion that Poppy uses on burns?" Snape nodded.  
  
"I don't teach that potion till fourth year. However, I don't teach how to change a potion and there are very few students foolish enough to attempt to alter a potion and fewer still that are intelligent enough to be able to do so successfully."  
  
"Who Severus? Who would be capable of doing this?"  
  
A sneer went across Snape's face. "Certainly Miss Granger would be able to do it."  
  
"Out of the question. Miss Granger would never be foolish enough to do such a thing. She is a model student and is above such childish pranks."  
  
"Perhaps Minerva, perhaps. But her friends, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, I assure you, are not above tricking her into doing it for them. I have said time and time again, Headmaster, that Potter thinks he is above the rules and this is the behavior-"  
  
Dumbledore interrupted sternly, "That's enough Severus. I can assure you that Harry is not responsible for this. And please have proof next time to back up your accusations, of any student."  
  
He looked every teacher in the eye. "I suggest we all keep our suspicions to ourselves until evidence is uncovered. In the mean time, I ask you all to assist Hagrid and Mr. Filch in clearing our hallways of the snow. If we work hard we should have it all done by tomorrow morning."  
  
He glanced around the hall. Most of the students were staring at the teachers, probably listening to every word. He turned to walk out of the hall while still addressing the teachers.  
  
"Now then. I'm going to have the elves make us some hot soup for lunch. If were lucky, they'll prepare chicken noodle or tomato soup. Maybe I can get Dobby to make cookies. Possibly in shapes. I do love the ones that look like witches' hats."  
  
A/N: A witches' hat cookie, made by Dobby, for everyone who reviews! 


	5. Order in the House of Chaos

Disclaimer: We OWN Harry Potter! We have all five, and an extra copy of the fifth one.  
  
Jade: Ah, tis' the finest hour for Fay.  
  
Masterharper: *sniffle* I fell kind of sorry for that poor girl.  
  
Jade: You do?!?!?!  
  
Masterharper: No, not really.  
  
Jade: Ok, then. On with the show!  
  
Puck's Children  
  
*  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Order in the House of Chaos  
  
Fay stirred the cauldron perched on a chamber pot, slowly watching the potion turn redder. Her brother walked briskly into the abandoned bathroom with a bag full of books over his shoulder, two books under his right arm, and one book open and sitting on his left.  
  
Putting down all his books except for the open one he stood straight with a look of pride on his face. "I," he said with nobility, "am a genius. They said it couldn't be done, but I have done it. They said you needed dark magic, but I don't. I have solved the problem that baffled even the Weasley twins. I am a genius."  
  
Fay stopped stirring and looked at her brother with a mixture of worry and amusement. "Ok, Merlin," she mocked. "What mystery of the universe have you figured out?"  
  
A grin spread on Patrick's face. He lowered his voice into a conspiratorial whisper. "I know how to bewitch the brooms."  
  
An identical grin came over Fay's. "When do we start?"  
  
"It'll be ready by the first broom lesson Friday." He glanced at the cauldron and raised an eyebrow quizzically. "But it won't require a potion."  
  
Fay glanced over at the now beet red potion before returning her attention back to the conversation. "Don't worry about that. It has nothing to do with our plans. It's for," she paused and grinned evilly, "an extra curricular activity."  
  
"I see. Who's the prank on?"  
  
Her reply was laced with sarcasm. "A very dear friend."  
  
"Odd name. I assume her parents call her something else."  
  
"Probably."  
  
"It's Gilda Dagmar, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes," said Fay.  
  
"Look, Fay," Patrick warned, "I know she's been rough on you-"  
  
"Rough?!" Fay exclaimed. "She's called me a mudblood, said I should have been in Hufflepuff, ruined almost all my clothes, torn most of my books, and," her voice became dangerously low, "told the entire house that I was a traitor to Slytherin."  
  
Patrick raised a pacifying hand. "I know, I know. I'm not going to stop you from getting revenge. You know I would do the same thing. I'm just going to warn you not to let it get out of hand. Anger can cloud your judgment, and that can make you sloppy. Getting sloppy can get you caught which would lead to us getting caught, ruining everything."  
  
Fay nodded. "I know. I'll be careful. Don't worry. I just have to show her that she can't mess with me."  
  
"Fine. Just don't get caught. You almost got caught throwing that snowball at Snape."  
  
Fay grinned. "Good thing Hooch got him with one before he could catch me."  
  
*********  
  
The cobblestone street was filled as usual although not as crowded as it sometimes was. Professor McGonagall wove her way through the shoppers and street vendors on Diagon Alley. She passed several familiar shops: Ollivanders, Flourish and Blotts, Madam Malkin's Robes. But she did not stop at any of them. She did not even look at their windows. McGonagall was on a mission. And to fulfill that mission she would have to go where she had sworn never to go.  
  
Stopping at a shop, she looked at the sign that hung above the door. It read in bright red letters: 'Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes: Pranks, Jokes, and Party Favors -Since a while ago but founded last year'. Taking a deep breath and drawing up her courage she opened the door.  
  
A bell rung and she cringed waiting for goo to fall on her or something to explode. It surprised her when nothing happened. The bell was apparently just a bell, the kind that most shops had to alert them to customers. She stepped nervously in and looked around.  
  
The shop seemed normal enough except for a few small things. McGonagall could not recall a store with more "Danger, Do Not Touch" signs and that included the ones in Knockturn Alley. One wall was covered with bins full of what appeared to be candy, carefully placed out of the reach of children. More bins and shelves where scattered around the place stocked with dangerous looking objects and a few items that seemed normal but had 'Danger' signs over them. Barrels with fireworks and fake wands stood in the center of the store. A counter with various items on it was at the far end of the store. There were no customers in sight, which seemed odd until McGonagall realized that few adult wizards would want to be seen at a prank store, at least during the day. McGonagall walked toward the counter with her familiar regal pose, when suddenly there was an explosion, shaking the entire building. She dived behind a bin that held balls of fur that seemed to be rumbling. Pulling out her wand she put her head up to take stock of the situation.  
  
Purple and blue smoke was coming through a curtained doorway behind the counter. A few of the bins were shaking and there were a few cages she had not noticed before emitting shrieking sounds. When no one came to the store to see if there was a fire, although a few people looked through the window, she assumed that it was a usual occurrence. Again she approached the counter, albeit more cautiously. She waited for a bit and then reached to press a bell that was sitting on the counter. Thinking that perhaps touching anything in this shop with her bare hand was not a good idea, she pulled her wand out and pressed the bell with it instead.  
  
After five seconds she thought it had not worked. Then a foghorn blasted shaking the building and causing a commotion in the store again. While McGonagall was shaking her head trying to get the ringing out of her ears, an ash-covered man came out through the curtains. He was not particularly tall but the ash covered any other characteristic he might possess. He ran a hand through his hair causing some of it to be revealed. It was red, very red. It was obviously one of the Weasley twins, but which one she would not be able to tell if he had been spotless. He raised an already dirty cloth to his face and began to wipe the ash off. "Hello. Welcome to our store how may I help-" He removed the cloth and saw Professor McGonagall clearly for the first time. "Blimey! Professor McGonagall, how are ya? George, get out here." Fred stuck his hand out. McGonagall took one look at the soot and who-knows-what-else covered hand and decided not to shake it. Fred looked at his hand, took it back, and tried to clean it with the cloth.  
  
"Good day Mr. Weasley. So good to see one of my former students being so......." She glanced at his ash-covered robes again. "...productive."  
  
Fred grinned. "Me and George -"  
  
"George and I," McGonagall corrected out of habit.  
  
"George and I were in the back, experimenting on a new product. Got to keep new things coming out to perk the customers' interest you know. Well anyway, we didn't add enough bat blood to the thing, and it blew up in our faces for the third time today." McGonagall couldn't help but think about how any other student of hers would have found something blowing up once discouraging. The Weasleys seemed to think it was a good sign.  
  
George came bounding out of the back room. He had taken the time to clean himself and looked almost clean. He shook McGonagall's hand eagerly even though she hadn't offered it. "Professor, how splendid to see you. Or should we call you Minerva now, we are after all, all adults here." He looked at her eagerly. He was answered only by silence. "Very well then," he went on, not discouraged at all, "How may we be of service Professor?" And so began a conversation that looking back on, McGonagall still could not figure out who had said what.  
  
"Have you come to visit your favorite students?"  
  
"Come to check up on us?"  
  
"Perhaps to buy something?"  
  
"Finally going to get back at Snape are you?"  
  
"If that's the case everything is half off."  
  
"You can never shop to early for Christmas you know."  
  
"Gifts for your students?"  
  
"Ton-Tongue Toffees will quiet any one of them."  
  
"If it's to get back at Umbridge everything is free."  
  
"Fake wands would liven up any potion class."  
  
"How's Ginny doing by the way?"  
  
"Fake brooms would give Madame Hooch a hoot."  
  
"And Ronnikins too of course."  
  
"Don't try the flaming pastries."  
  
"Dumbledore comes here once a week you know."  
  
"They still cause your mouth to catch on fire."  
  
"Gryffindor going to win the Cup this year?"  
  
"Hagrid was here yesterday."  
  
"With Katie, Ginny, and Harry we can't lose, even with Ron."  
  
"Don't worry, he didn't buy anything."  
  
"So Professor-"  
  
"-how may we help you?"  
  
After several moments spent clearing her head McGonagall pulled out a small slip of paper. "I am not here to buy anything or to check up on you. I have come here on Hogwarts business. I am looking for some information on your products or those of your competitors."  
  
"Of course Professor."  
  
"Anything to help Hogwarts."  
  
"Yes, well, your brother and sister may have told you this already. There have been a series of school wide pranks that have been done every week since the start of term."  
  
George interrupted, "Yeah, Ginny wrote to us about those."  
  
Fred nodded. "Brilliant stuff. Wish we had done them when we were there."  
  
"Really," McGonagall said a little perturbed at being interrupted. "I have here a list of what the prankster needed." She cleared her throat. George took advantage of the break and pulled out a piece of parchment and quill, then looked at her expectedly. "One of the pranks involved the doors all around Hogwarts. When the doors were closed there would be the sound of someone running or walking into them. There would then be the sound of someone saying "ouch." Often doors leading to girls' rooms would sound masculine and doors leading to boys' rooms would sound feminine." She noticed that Fred was one step away from drooling, his mouth was wide open in amazement. George was scribbling away fanatically. "I need to know if you know of any store that sells voice changer kits and anything that would cause a door to behave oddly."  
  
Fred stopped his staring long enough to respond. "Voice changer kits are very common, Professor. Everyone sells them. As for the doors." He scratched his chin. "There are plenty of kits that involve doors. Things falling when you open a door, an alarm when a door is open and things like that. But I don't know of anything that would cause them to speak and I haven't heard of anything that can affect already magical doors."  
  
McGonagall's confidence fell. If she were not able to find the prankster this way it would be almost impossible to catch him unless she caught him in the act.  
  
"Professor. Weren't you able to just get rid of the charm?"  
  
McGonagall pursed her lips. "No," she said with more than a hint of anger. Fred's eyes went wide and George grinned ear to ear.  
  
"The second prank was a blizzard."  
  
"Professor, it's rare, but it does snow in September."  
  
"Not inside." Fred glanced at George to make sure he was writing this. "Professor Snape believes that it is a variation of a freezing potion that was spread around the school during the night."  
  
Fred shook his head in amazement. "Professor, no one has anything like that. We have instant swamps and instant forests but not snowstorms. No one else sells anything close to that. I can't think off the top of my head how the storm was done or the door thing for that matter."  
  
McGonagall felt defeated. Not only did the Weasleys not know where the items were bought, they did not even know how. She let out a sigh.  
  
"Thank you for your time. I shall not take anymore of it." She turned to leave.  
  
"Professor, wait!" George exclaimed. He reached under the counter and produced a brand new business card. "If you ever catch the person responsible-"  
  
"The villain!" Fred said with an almost serious face.  
  
"Please give him our card. Tell him-"  
  
"Or her. We are not judgmental about these things."  
  
"-that we are hiring and always looking for good talent."  
  
Professor tried to smile but settled on just taking the card. "Of course. Good day to you both." With that she left. She threw the card into the nearest trashcan. It would be a terrifying force indeed if the prankster and the Weasleys ever teamed up.  
  
On the way down the street, she heard another explosion.  
  
*********  
  
The next morning was fairly typical in the Slytherin Common room. The students arranged themselves in the regular fashion. The older and higher born of them took the seats by the fire while the young and the outcasts were in the dark corners far away. Fay was with the other first years, although at the other end of the table by herself, far away from the flames. It was very typical.  
  
Until the scream. A high pitched scream that caused all the students to cover their ears. Some of the students of Irish descent immediately hid under the tables fearing a banshee was near. Instead, a little girl came running down into the Common room and headed strait for the first year table. She still wore her pajamas and her normally perfect blond hair was only half brushed. When she stopped she immediately became the center of attention. The half of her hair that was brushed was not blond. It was alternating stripes of gold and scarlet.  
  
"Gilda, what happened?" one of the first year girls asked.  
  
Gilda alternated between sobbing and answering. "I...I...was brushing my hair... and I saw... when...when...I...I...looked in the mirror...this!" She pointed toward her hair and began to sob without end. A few girls tried to comfort her; but not letting her cry on their shoulder, that would mess-up their clothes. After a little bit Gilda had it down to a sniffle. Fay stood up.  
  
She spoke with an over dramatic, loud voice. "Why Gilda? Why ever did you do that to your hair?" A small smile appeared on Fay's face. Everyone's attention returned to Gilda. Gilda looked at her in confusion for a moment, then realization dawned.  
  
"YOU!" she exclaimed, "You did this! You little mudblood! Why?"  
  
Fay pointed toward her hair. "Gryffindor colors. Such house loyalty. Whose the traitor now Gilda?"  
  
Gilda's eyes narrowed in hatred. "I'll get you for this. I promise."  
  
"No you won't." Fay smiled sweetly and explained it as she would a toddler. "If you do, the colors will be permanent next time."  
  
Gilda's eyes went wide. She stood up and ran back to the dorms sobbing.  
  
Fay sat down and continued to work on her potion's assignment as if nothing had happened. More than one first year girl slid toward her asking for help on it. All of those who had watched this little scene smiled and went on with their business. Those with enough brains actually took it in.  
  
'There', they thought, 'is a true Slytherin.' 


	6. Riding an Upside Down Nimbus

Disclaimer: If you think we own Harry Potter, you obviously don't get the point of this website.  
  
Jade: And now, the answer to what you've all been wondering subconsciously, where have we been?  
  
Masterharper: Hmm...our excuse...well, I've been in England (God save the Queen!).  
  
Jade: And I've been in Texas (Deep in the heart of Texas!).  
  
Masterharper: Now that we've answered the question nobody asked-  
  
Jade: On with the show!  
  
*  
  
Puck's Children  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Riding an Upside Down Nimbus  
  
*  
  
"You're joking," the Ravenclaw of five years said in a disbelieving tone.  
  
"No, I'm not," the youngest Gryffindor prefect replied.  
  
"You're saying," Patrick's tone was thick with disbelief and seemed to ask for conformation with each word, "that Professor McGonagall, the Professor McGonagall, the Professor who hates with all her soul pranks or any kind of mischief, went to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?" A few Hufflepuff first years that were passing them in the hall heard this and started whispering to themselves. By the end of the day, the story would go that McGonagall bought the entire shop's worth of pranks, killed the Weasleys, or something equally outrageous.  
  
Ginny nodded, "Yeah, my brothers wrote to me about it right after she left."  
  
"And she walked in on purpose?" Ginny grinned and nodded. "If you tell me she bought something, I'll never believe you about anything again.  
  
"She didn't. Too bad too. That would have made their year. She was looking for information. You know those pranks that have been going on since the start of term? She wanted to know who sold things that could do that. Fred said that she seemed to want to know who had bought them." She was enjoying her tale so much that she nearly missed the concerned look that crossed Patrick's face.  
  
"They don't keep records of that, do they?"  
  
Deciding that Patrick was just afraid that he might be caught buying something someday, she dismissed the expression and shrugged. "No, they don't. Filling out paperwork and record keeping were never Fred and George's greatest abilities. Besides, no one sells things that can do what the pranks did." She smiled while she looked back on them. "Remember that blizzard last week? McGonagall had to pull Flitwick out of a ditch." She giggled in a most un-prefect like way.  
  
"Yeah, I remember. Look, I'll see you later. I have to go look something up in the library."  
  
"Sure. I'll see you in Herbology tomorrow." She became a little suspicious when Patrick went in the wrong direction to get to the library. Fortunately for Patrick, a young Gryffindor first year running down the hallway with his pants on fire wiped all thought of pursuing the minor mystery any further. Another first year came running after him, wand raised.  
  
"Come back, Kyle! I didn't know it would do that! It's not a problem! I know a spell! It'll stop the fire real quick!" Ginny stared as the two ran by, comprehension taking a while to sink in. Then she sighed. It was her duty to help this Kyle and to stop the other boy from 'helping' his friend any more. Some days she wished she could trade her badge for a chocolate frog.  
  
***  
  
After he watched Ginny give chase to two first years Patrick paused. He made a mental note that when he made an excuse of going to the library, he should head in the direction of the library. Making sure the coast was clear, he walked over to a nearby statue. It was a rather ugly statue, of Oclo the Three-eyed. Patrick had never come across the name in history books so what made him worth turning into a statue was a mystery, a mystery he had no desire to solve. It was true that Oclo had three eyes, at least on the statue, unfortunately they were all different sizes, making the face hideous. Patrick reached up and poked the eye on the far left, which was shaped like a peanut. The eye sunk the rest of the way into the head. Sounds of stone scraping on stone echoed in the hallway for a few moments, then stopped.  
  
After waiting a few heartbeats, Patrick turned around with a slightly haughty look on his face. Before him, where there used to be a regular stone wall, there were steps curving up to an unseen location. Whether or not it led anywhere could not be told from the bottom. Also before him, at the bottom of the stairway, was a slightly perturbed Slytherin first year.  
  
She looked at him with suspicion. "How did you know I was back there?"  
  
He smiled and spread his arms wide. "I know everything."  
  
Fay snorted. "No, really, how'd you know?"  
  
"If I told you everything how would I ever beat you when we fight?"  
  
She raised an eyebrow in mock astonishment. "You think you can beat me anyway?"  
  
Patrick snorted and waved his hand, dismissing the entire conversation. He continued in a more serious tone. "McGonagall went looking for our tricks at the Weasleys' shop."  
  
Surprise flashed over Fay's face; she had it under control in less than a minute. "I didn't think she would do that at least till Halloween. What could possibly drive her to do that so soon?"  
  
"Maybe the door thing annoyed her more than we thought or..." he trailed off looking at her to finish the statement. It took her a minute, but comprehension did come.  
  
"She's extremely strict, and everything that is against the rules bothers her, so when people get away with things she stores it away. It builds up, bit by bit, until it explodes. And we," she paused taking a breath, "threw the stones that caused the dragon to wake."  
  
"Yeah, and now we're going to have her and Snape on our tail the whole year."  
  
She grinned, with no trace of fear ever crossing her face, "Makes it more of challenge. You're not turning chicken, are you?"  
  
Patrick mirrored her grin. "You wish."  
  
Suddenly, a blur ran between them, smoke billowing behind it, a tired Ginny running after him. She barely paid attention to her surroundings. A good thing too or she would have had many questions. She was focused on getting that boy to stop. He ran unusually fast for a boy his size. Then again, he had incentive.  
  
Fay and Patrick watched her pass, staring at the unusual sight. Fay was the first to comment. "Your girlfriend has her hands full. Allen must have been practicing his Wingardum Leviosa charm."  
  
Patrick looked at her with annoyance. "She is not my girlfriend. She is just a friend. And I told you if you ever said that again that I would-" He raised his wand.  
  
"Come on, we have brooms to bewitch." With that she turned and sprinted up the stairs, Patrick hot on her heels.  
  
The stone wall moved back into place. When Ginny passed through again, chasing Kyle, she didn't even notice it had changed.  
  
***  
  
The air was crisp. Colder than it usually was this time of year, to the dismay of the gathered Gryffindors and Slytherins. If Madame Hooch cared she wasn't showing it. Fay tried to concentrate on her while Gilda talked in low tones about how cold it was, how Hooch's hair was too spiky, and how she would bet her family's account at Gringotts that Fay would fall flat on her face as soon as she touched a broom. Fay didn't know if she should be angry or laugh out loud at that. Fay was quite possibly the only first year in the school that had a broom on Hogwarts grounds. It was in the care of her brother of course, to keep it from being confiscated. The rules prohibited first years from having brooms, not flying them. So all she had to do was ask her brother to bring the broom outside and she could fly to her heart's delight.  
  
"Now then, stick out your right hand over your broom and say 'Up'" Fay complied, the broom seemed to hesitate for a moment and then did as it was told. She was one of the fortunate ones. Of course, she had planned it that way.  
  
Kyle Armstrong's broom did exactly what it was told. It went up. And up. And up. It didn't stop until Madam Hooch said, "Accio Broom." That didn't work though, it just stopped going up. Gilda's broom seemed to catch on part of Gilda's uniform and rose as high as a third story window, with Gilda hanging from it squirming to get down, or get on the broom; it was hard to tell. One of the brooms did not go up at all. Instead it turned sideways, hard, tripping its girl and the one next to her. Allen Longfellow's broom seemed not to like Allen, the handle remaining on the ground while the brush moved up, resulting in Allen getting hit in the back of the head. He fell and didn't get up for some time.  
  
Norina Ellis, whose broom had done what it was told correctly, was trying to help her twin brother, Norwood, get control of his bucking broom. They seemed to get it under control when the broom darted forward, knocking over a few other students, and dragging Norwood with it. He did let go after being dragged almost to the lake, where the broom began to celebrate it's newfound freedom by doing loop-the-loops that would have been very impressive if it had a rider. Vladimir Tudor, usually regal and composed, was running in circles like a little child. Fay thought he was chasing his broom until she saw the broom right behind him. Another student watched helplessly as his broom went flying for the school at high speed, smashing the window of the Charms classroom. His broom came back, only to turn around and head for another window.  
  
Out of the twenty-two students that had come out for flying lessons, only five had gotten their broom to obey them. Only two of those hadn't been knocked over by the others. Fay looked around, her lips forming a smile as she watched her schoolmates' plight.  
  
Right before Madame Hooch ordered her to go get some of the other professors for help she couldn't help but think, 'It's a good day for flying.'  
  
***  
  
Professor McGonagall was walking along the corridors; she had a free class period. Normally she would be grading papers, but she had finished that so she had decided to go for a stroll. The sun was shinning through the windows, the stained glass casting patterns on the wall. It was all very picturesque. And quiet. Blessed quiet.  
  
Suddenly, the calm was shattered by the sounds of shoes hitting the hard floor. The stone walls echoed the sound, until it sounded like a large number of dragons were coming down the hallway. McGonagall was expecting at least a large seventh year boy to come sprinting around the corridor. Instead a small first year girl appeared holding one of the school's brooms. She almost crashed into McGonagall but managed to stop by pointing the broom in the opposite direction while commanding the broom to go forward. McGonagall raised an eyebrow but waited patiently while the girl caught her breath.  
  
"Sorry Professor, but Madame Hooch needs your help. The students are having a hard time with the brooms."  
  
Wondering why the child had run to tell her this caused a little of a delay in McGonagall's response. "Madame Hooch is an excellent instructor. I'm sure the problem, whatever it is, is entirely within her abilities to solve. I have work to do. And you, Miss MacGregor should not be running in the hallways. It is against the-"  
  
"But Professor-" she pleaded.  
  
"But nothing, Madame Hooch is capable of-" She was interrupted again, not by the girl, but by a racing broom hurtling through the glass window. The glass shards had barely begun to fall when the broom headed right toward McGonagall. She ducked, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Fay MacGregor did not. In fact, she looked up at the broom, smiling. The broom turned again. This time going though a different window. The glass was all over the floor. It was reflecting the light in a way that would have been pretty if it had not followed such destruction.  
  
"What was that?" McGonagall demanded, as soon as the shock wore off.  
  
"That," the girl said with an amused smile, "was nothing that Madame Hooch can't handle." With that, she mounted her broom and flew through the open window.  
  
For the next few hours, the Hogwarts staff tried to get control of the brooms. Unfortunately none of the spells worked right. It did not end until Dumbledore himself came out and flicked his wand. The twenty odd brooms came down and settled in the nice and neat rows they had been in before the students had said "Up!" McGonagall was so distracted that she even forgot to take points from Slytherin for flying a broom inside the castle. 


	7. The Howlers From No One

Disclaimer: We don't own Harry Potter. However, we are holding Ron Weasley hostage until he comes.  
  
Puck's Children  
  
Masterharper: Are you sure they'll get it?  
  
Jade: Only a Huffiepuffie wouldn't get it.  
  
Masterharper: Anyone who doesn't understand anything in this chapter, REVIEW and we'll give you answers.  
  
Jade: Or call 1-800-IMA-BADGER  
  
Masterharper: Please excuse Jade, it's a Slytherin thing.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
The Howlers from No One  
  
The candle was flickering again. All the magic in Hogwarts, some of the smartest and most powerful wizards in the world, and they still couldn't get a candle to give constant light. Patrick sighed, longing for the light bulbs back home. It was too bad really, that electronics could not work at Hogwarts. He hated candles. Causing shadows to move where there was no movement. It was very unsettling. Especially when all it would take is one shadow being real and you would be in serious trouble. Or they would think you were crazy while they watched you talk to yourself at eleven o'clock at night in an empty classroom. Neither was a good thing.  
  
Patrick stopped murmuring long enough to look over what the Quick Quotes Quill had written. He had gotten the idea off Rita Skeeter, someone he remembered less then fondly; she had pushed him into the mud while she was trying to get another quote from Colin. Unlike hers, this one was not green, it was royal purple, and it did not twist everything that was said, merely wrote the content of what he said but with someone else's tone and manner of speaking. At the moment it was writing in a rather regal sounding manner.  
  
Once the letter was completed, Patrick picked up the quill and placed it in a small box. Closing the box, he tapped the family crest that was on the lid. The box shrank to a third of its size, perfect for fitting in a pocket. His task completed, he placed the parchment he had been writing on onto a pile of similar parchments, picked up the whole stack and left the classroom.  
  
After walking for a bit he came to a door, knocked twice, then opened the door slowly. The classroom was empty. Entering, he sealed the door behind him with a spell. He began to lay the parchments down, side by side, onto the desks. After the front row was covered, he sat down in the corner that would be impossible to see if someone just opened the door and looked around without stepping into the room. Five minutes later two knocks came from the door. He went to the door, unsealed it, and opened it. Fay bustled in, holding a smaller pile of parchment and a flask of something green.  
  
"What took you so long?" he asked as she started to set the parchments onto the tables.  
  
She glared at him. "Miss Norris was patrolling. I had to hide in the secret compartment behind the large suit of armor on the fourth floor for ten minutes before she left." She finished setting down the papers and started to look over the ones Patrick had laid down. "Ouch, this one's harsh. Why did you drag Potter into this one? Just write a separate one to him."  
  
"We're writing to the prefects only remember. Besides," he shrugged, "I can't think of anyone that would write to him at all except the Ministry of Magic."  
  
"The Ministry sends howlers," Fay said with an air of authority.  
  
"Not often." He smiled reminiscently. "They only sent one to you because you kept on sending howlers to Minister Fudge telling him what an idiot he was. You know, his secretary still hasn't recovered all of his hearing." He shook his head in what seemed to be amazement.  
  
Fay grinned evilly. "He deserved it."  
  
"Probably. Did you make the potion?"  
  
She held up the flask with the green liquid. "No, I just carry around bottles with stuff in them for the heck of it," she answered patronizingly. She began to pour drops onto each paper. "Did you finish the envelopes?"  
  
Patrick pulled out another small box with a crest. After the crest was tapped, the box grew to the size of a small trunk. "Thank goodness for Uncle Robin's boxes." He opened the box and pulled out a small pile of red envelopes. "They are timed to go off at different times in the day. Some of them will go off during class times, so we won't get to see them, but you can bet we'll hear about them." He began to fold the parchments and stuff them into the envelopes. After each letter had been given it's dose of potion and had been put into envelopes, they gathered the red envelopes and placed them into the box. Patrick tapped the crest again and after it had shrunk, gave it to Fay. "By the way, what did you write for Zack and Ginny?" He looked at her suspiciously.  
  
"You'll see." With that she left the classroom and headed for the owlery.  
  
***  
  
Patrick was tired of waiting. He still had five more minutes until the first one arrived. The students were eating their breakfasts in the normal fashion, noisily and half-asleep.  
  
"Fools," he couldn't help but whisper. They would be awake soon enough. The first target of the day came in, sat down, and began her vapid conversations with her so called 'friends.' Of course, the first letter had two targets. The other sat on the other side of the room, with people that had stuck with him through everything, which for him was considerable. It would be interesting to see how they reacted.  
  
The owls flew in for the morning's post. He spotted the large owl holding a red envelope head straight for Pansy Parkinson. The owl dropped the Howler right in front of her. Partly in confusion, partly because of her stupidity, Pansy didn't realize it was hers.  
  
"Three.Two." Patrick whispered.  
  
The Howler opened itself.  
  
"PANSY PARKINSON!" it yelled in a regal, feminine voice. All attention in the Great Hall focused on Pansy and the Howler. Several students grinned at the unexpected treat.  
  
"HOW DARE YOU! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT WHEN I GOT THE LETTER FROM PROFESSOR SNAPE!" Focus shifted briefly to Professor Snape at the head table. He cocked his head to the side and looked on in puzzlement. He hadn't sent a letter to anyone about any student this year. "HE FOUND YOU TWO IN ONE OF THE DUNGEON CLASSROOMS! FOR MERLIN'S SAKE, PANSY, YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST DONE IT SOMEWHERE PRIVATE!" Students started to giggle and send Draco, who was confused, glances. They were starting to guess what was going on. Whispered conversation started, mainly betting on how far the two had gone before Snape stopped them. "COULD YOU HAVE FOUND SOMEONE MORE REVOLTING?!" The betting stopped. No Parkinson would ever say a Malfoy was revolting.  
  
"DO YOU REALIZE HOW UPSET YOUR FATHER IS? HE DARE NOT SHOW HIS FACE IN RESPECTABLE SOCIETY BECAUSE OF IT!" Murmurs began around the room, all wanting to know whom it was. Pansy stared at the Howler in horror and confusion. The Gryffindors, especially Hermione, were having a hard time holding their laughter, not because they thought they would get in trouble, but because they wanted to hear every word.  
  
"WHY PANSY? TELL ME WHY! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE OUT WITH..." Their was a collective intake of breath. "...HARRY POTTER?!!" The letter stopped and began to burn. The silence was deafening. All of Slytherin stared at Pansy. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw also stared at her, slack-jawed. The head table all stared at Snape, who was staring at the Howler. Every single Gryffindor was staring at Harry in shock and horror. Except Ron and Harry. Harry seemed not able to decide on an emotion, horror, shock, or confusion, and tried to mix them all on his face. It made him look guilty instead. Ron had taken that moment to stuff a forkful of waffles in his mouth and started to choke. That was the only sound heard for almost a minute.  
  
Fay couldn't take it anymore. She started to laugh, a chuckle at first, but it became very loud soon. Patrick joined her, laughing until there were tears coming out of his eyes. The fact that they were laughing at something different was lost on the others as they came out of their shock. Most laughed. Draco's face went as pale as his hair. Pansy looked at the letter with horror as it burned. At the Gryffindor table, it was hard to say who had the best face. Almost all of them, Hermione and Ginny especially, looked hurt and betrayed. Harry, recovering from the shock, began to protest his innocence. Ron, after getting pounded on the back by Neville, was staring at Harry in horror.  
  
People began to eat again, talking and laughing about what had just happened. Patrick felt a little guilty about Harry. He would be despised by most of his house for the day, or until people figured out what was going on. Of course with Hermione Granger as a friend, that shouldn't take too long.  
  
Things had almost settled down when a large barn owl flew in. Patrick elbowed Zack and gestured toward it. The owl flew straight to the Slytherin table and dropped a red envelope in front of Draco Malfoy. Draco stared at it. He had already received his letters for today. The rest of the school focused on him, anticipation rising at the prospect of three humiliations at one meal. To his credit, Draco reacted with far more intelligence than Pansy. He picked it up and ran for the door. He almost made it.  
  
"DRACO!" A shrill voice pierced the silence. If anything it sounded more snobbish then the last letter. "DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY! SCOURGE OF MY FLESH! SHAME OF MY BLOOD! YOU LET THAT LITTLE MUDBLOOD DO BETTER THAN YOU! AGAIN!" All of Gryffindor and most of the sixth years smiled. They knew exactly whom Draco's mother was referring to. "TIME AFTER TIME SHE DOES BETTER THAN YOU! BY MERLIN DRACO, YOU'RE A PUREBLOOD! ACT LIKE IT!" At this point Draco just stared at his feet, as if he had been expecting this for some time. Hermione began to blush.  
  
"THANK THE STARS THAT YOUR FATHER IS AT AZKABAN!" A few murmurs went around at that. Most had forgotten that Lucius Malfoy was currently in prison. "IF HE KNEW THAT A MUGGLEBORN WAS BESTING YOU EVERY YEAR, IN EVERY SUBJECT...!" The voice trailed off as if it were too angry to go on.  
  
"FOR SIX YEARS SHE HAS BESTED YOU! YOU SHAME THE FAMILY NAME! YOUR FATHER WOULD BE EVEN MORE ANGRY THEN HE WAS WHEN YOU DEVELOPED THAT STUPID CRUSH ON THE WEASLEY BRAT!  
  
"NOW SHAPE UP OR THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES!"  
  
For a moment there was silence. Most of the hall turned to Ginny, who's skin was currently the color of her hair. A collective "Ooooohh," came from almost every table. Pansy, partially recovered from her letter, put her head in her arms and began to sob. More than one girl looked at Ginny with jealousy. Also, more than one boy, particularly the fifth years and especially Zack, looked at Draco with loathing. The sixth year Gryffindor boys, including Harry looked at Ginny in shock and betrayal, as if she had somehow caused this. Ron's face was starting to turn green. He put a hand over his mouth and ran from the Hall. By the sounds coming from outside the door, it was obvious that he didn't make it to the bathroom.  
  
After a little while, Draco ran from the hall. People began to chuckle and make snide remarks about the incident. Ron returned a little paler, but otherwise fine. Ginny was busy trying to hide herself under the table as people asked her questions about her 'boyfriend.'  
  
Patrick looked over at Zack, who looked furious. "Well, that was interesting," he said conversationally. "Pass the mash please."  
  
***  
  
Ginny slammed the classroom door behind her, partially dimming the noise of laughter on the other side. Her face was as red as her hair for the second time today. She hated when that happened. Whether it was out of humiliation or anger, even she wasn't sure. Barely noticing that the red envelope in her hand was on fire, she ran down the hall.  
  
After running for what seemed like forever, but really was less then two minutes, she reached a courtyard. Sitting down on the edge of a fountain, after she threw the now almost gone letter in it, glad that none of the classes where out yet, she started to cry. The tears had just begun to flow when she heard someone coming.  
  
"Hey, Ginny. What's wrong?" Patrick looked down at her as she wiped her eyes with her robe.  
  
"Nothing," she said adamantly. She looked up at him and a thought occurred. "Why aren't you in class?"  
  
Patrick grinned, "Professor McGonagall let the class go early. Zack got a Howler from his mom demanding to know why he got a P on one of his assignments. It went on and on about how important it was for him to get top marks and how he was shaming the family by doing so badly. After that, the class couldn't concentrate, so McGonagall let us go." Ginny frowned. It was not like McGonagall to let a class go early for any reason. She told Patrick so. Patrick snorted. "She gave us plenty of homework to make up for it." Ginny laughed too. It sounded a little forced but it was a laugh. That sounded like something McGonagall would do. It also made her feel better that she was not the only one that was humiliated in class today.  
  
After a bit Patrick looked at her in concern. "Unless you were trying to cause more waterworks than the fountain you're sitting on, something is wrong. If you won't tell me then could you at least tell Luna?"  
  
"Luna isn't here."  
  
"I'm not?" a dreamy voice came from behind Ginny. "I should probably go find myself then, shouldn't I?" Ginny managed to turn a laugh into a cough. If it had been anyone other then Luna, it would have been meant as a joke. But Luna would be expecting an honest answer.  
  
"You are here, Luna. I just didn't see you," Ginny said apologetically.  
  
Luna nodded, as if it all made sense now. She then stared at Patrick with that stare of hers that creeped most people out. "You know," she said in a way that reminded Ginny distantly of Hermione, "Zack got a Howler from his mom. He seemed upset. She was angry over his bad grades."  
  
"I heard," said Patrick, even though he had been there when it happened. He was the only person who Ginny had met that talked to Luna this way. "I was looking for him when I found Ginny here." Luna nodded.  
  
"You were crying," she said to Ginny as if Ginny hadn't known. Over the years Ginny had learned that this was Luna's way of asking what was wrong.  
  
"Yeah, I was. I got a Howler in class too. It was embarrassing." She thought she heard Patrick say 'of course' under his breath. Luna stared at her with her head cocked to one side. It was hard to tell if it was a look of confusion, pity, or surprise. Luna's facial expressions were always hard to read.  
  
"Why did Zack's mother write to you?" Luna asked dreamily. It took a bit for Ginny to follow Luna's thought pattern on this. The fact that she could surprised her, for usually no one could.  
  
"It wasn't from Zack's mum, it was from mine. She was upset about me being on the Quidditch team." Ginny hung her head. She didn't see Patrick look at the sky with an amused grin and shake his head. If Luna did she didn't let on. "She was angry that I would place myself in physical danger and that it would interfere with studying for OWLs."  
  
That was what the letter had said. She could still hear some of it in her head. "YOU COULD BE HURT! FLYING IS TOO DANGEROUS! HOW ARE YOU GOING TO STUDY IF YOU'RE OFF FLYING INTO BLUDGERS! I THOUGHT YOU HAD MORE SENSE THAN THAT!"  
  
Her thoughts were interupted by Patrick. "Ginny." His tone sounded like a teacher leading a student through the steps to figure out a problem while trying to get that student to figure it out themselves. "You were on the team last year. Playing seeker of all things, the most dangerous position. Was your mother mad then?"  
  
Ginny thought back. "No." She wondered where he was going with this. "No, she wasn't." That realization caused the sadness to go away and to be replaced by confusion.  
  
Luna interrupted, "I heard Ernie MacMillian got a Howler from the Ministry of Magic. It asked him to stop sending letters of advice." Ginny looked at her for a moment, wondering what in the world that had to do with anything. Then it hit her.  
  
Ernie got a Howler about not sending advice, which he might have done, but the Ministry rarely sent Howlers.  
  
Zack got a Howler about low grades, but he usually got top marks.  
  
Draco got a Howler about not getting better grades then Hermione, which was true and his mother being angry about that was entirely feasible. But it had also said he had a crush on her, which she hoped wasn't true.  
  
Pansy got a Howler about making out with Harry, which he claimed wasn't true, and she hoped desperately wasn't true.  
  
She had heard the Head Boy and Girl had gotten howlers. Howlers were rare, and never had such a high concentration of them come on the same day. Most definitely not to most of the prefects. Ron and Hermione hadn't gotten one but the day wasn't over yet. But who would send fake Howlers to all the prefects?  
  
It was Friday. Someone had been playing pranks every week since the start of school. Nothing else had happened that week that could be considered a prank.  
  
"If I find them, I'm going to kill them," she said through clenched teeth.  
  
Patrick looked at her with amusement. Luna, apparently forgetting what was happening, was staring up at the sky, murmuring things like, "a rabbit with one ear," or, "Snorkack foot."  
  
"Thanks guys, I feel much better." She got up and marched back into the castle.  
  
Patrick watched her go and then turned to Luna. Seeing that she was occupied, he left without saying good bye. Five steps into the castle he came across his sister, putting a helmet back on a suit of armor, backwards.  
  
"You messed up," he informed her. Fay looked at him like he had just told her he had "tinkled."  
  
"What do you mean, I messed up?" she asked, not believing him.  
  
"Ginny was on the Quidditch team last year. Her mother wouldn't be mad about it if she was on it again."  
  
Clearly confused, Fay asked, "But I thought she was the new chaser on the Gryffindor team?"  
  
"She is. Potter got suspended last year, so she filled in as Seeker." He grinned. It wasn't often that Fay made such a huge error.  
  
"You could have told me."  
  
"You could have told me what you were going to write. But you didn't." He continued walking down the corridor, giving himself one point in the continuing game he and his sister played. According to his memory, the score was now 107 to 105. A two point lead. That was rare. He walked down to the kitchens to celebrate.  
  
***  
  
The Great Hall was full of noise and laughter at supper. Everyone was talking about the plague of Howlers and their Prefect recipients. Some, mostly at the Hufflepuff table, felt sorry for the prefects. It didn't stop them from laughing about it though. The Gryffindors were used to laughing at others' humiliation, almost of them had known the Weasley twins after all. Ravenclaws found the little tidbits of information in the letters the funniest. And no house enjoyed other people's disgrace more than Slytherin.  
  
The prefects and the head of houses were all in the transfiguration classroom. Desks were to the sides and the professors were leaning on them, or in Flitwick's case, standing on them. The prefects, all twenty-four, sat in the rows of chairs, talking among themselves.  
  
It wasn't missed by many that several of the prefects seemed to be avoiding each other. Ginny was sitting as far from Draco as she could. Hermione was sitting as far from Ron as she could. Draco was sitting as far as possible from Ginny and Hermione. He was also sitting away from Ron, who had gotten over his sickness and was currently looking as if he wanted to punch someone. That was made more difficult because Ron was trying to sit far away from Hermione, for two reasons.  
  
During a morning class, Hermione had received a Howler. Ron had planned on being supportive like a good friend. Until he had heard who it was from. The thick accent made it clear who had sent it, Viktor Krum. Then to the amazement of everyone, including Hermione, Krum broke up with her. It had hurt Ron deeply, for despite Hermione's frequent denials, he had always had a suspicion that there was something between those two. It didn't help that during a class after lunch he had received a Howler.  
  
It had been from Bill. The words still rang in his mind. "JUST TELL THE GIRL YOU LIKE HER! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW ANNOYING IT IS TO HEAR LETTER AFTER LETTER ABOUT HOW BEAUTIFUL SHE IS, HOW SMART, HOW UNDERSTANDING! I DON'T CARE IF IT MIGHT RUIN YOUR FRIENDSHIP, JUST TELL HER HOW YOU FEEL!" He had been so embarrassed he had spent the rest of the afternoon hiding in the Owlery. He was about to run and hide again out of shame when Dumbledore called for attention.  
  
"Are you all here? If you are not please raise your hand." He waited for a moment and glanced around, searching for a hand. "Good." He was beaming. Very few people in the room were in the mood for Dumbledore's usual antics. If he knew that, he didn't care. "Now, I understand this meeting was called to discuss the letters you all have been receiving," he gestured toward the prefects, "I also understand that these must make you upset-" Draco was not the only one to snort in frustration. Dumbledore held his hand up for patience. "However, unless the letters start to threaten your life, there is little I can do. Especially since many of you received them from you families."  
  
"And the Ministry of Magic," added Ernie Macmillian dejectedly.  
  
"The Ministry doesn't send Howlers," said Zack from the back row.  
  
Dumbledore commented, "The Ministry does send Howlers, but rarely. They have only sent two in the past year. One of them, I'm pleased to say, I had the joy of receiving. The minister never choose to tell me who received the other." He said the last sentence with more than the usual twinkle in his eye.  
  
There was silence for a moment except for the sound of cloth on cloth as Hermione's hand shot up into the air. The sixth years and some of teachers couldn't help but roll their eyes and smile at the familiar sight. Dumbledore looked at Hermione over the bridge of his glasses, eyes twinkling in amusement. "Yes Miss. Granger."  
  
Hermione hesitated for a moment, not sure whether to stand or remain seated, and then stood so all could see her. "Professor," she began, "I have reason to believe that none of us received letters from our families today."  
  
"What do ya mean we didn't?" asked a fifth year Hufflepuff who had received a rather humiliating Howler from his mother about wearing dirty underwear two days in a row. "I know what me mum sounds like, and that was definitely her." There were murmurs of agreement from around the room. Dumbledore held up his hand for quiet for a third time.  
  
"Would you be so kind as to enlighten us, Miss Granger? Explain to us your reasoning."  
  
"Of course Professor." She turned to face the other prefects. "Every single," she stressed the word, "one of us has received a Howler today."  
  
"I didn't!" the youngest Slytherin Prefect interrupted.  
  
Before anyone else could react, Draco Malfoy, who happened to behind the boy, spoke up. "Yes you did, you moron! You got it in the common room before lunch." He seemed to gain confidence. Picking on someone was the fastest way for him to do that, especially when they were weaker. "It announced to the whole house you had a muggle grandfather. Now shut up and listen to Granger." He returned his attention to Hermione.  
  
"Thank you-" Suddenly realizing what she was doing, she paused, "Malfoy. Now as I was saying, we all got Howlers. Most of us, if not all, got them for things we never did." There wear murmurs of agreement and some shuffling of feet of those that wasn't true for. Fortunately, no one noticed who had moved their feet. "So does it not strike you as odd that we all get untrue Howlers the same day?" She stopped, waiting for them to understand.  
  
"What do you mean? That someone got our families and others to write to us all on the same day?" Ernie Macmillian asked. Every Slytherin, and some other students, rolled their eyes at the stupidity of the Hufflepuff.  
  
Ginny stood up and turned to face the crowd. "Every week for the last month, a huge prank has been pulled on the school."  
  
"That's not true," the youngest Slytherin spoke up again. "There hasn't been one this week." The statement hung in the air for a bit. Five seconds later the boy was rubbing the back of his head where Draco had hit him. Even the Hufflepuffs now understood what was happening.  
  
"We've got to find them." Ernie stood and faced the crowd. Small groans emerged from some of the students. Ernie was in speech mode. "It is our duty as prefects to find the students responsible for these interruptions of the school. And I promise you, from this day forward, I will not shrink from my responsibilities and will devote every waking moment to their capture. I urge you all to join me in the fight against these anarchists that are trying to destroy authority at Hogwarts." He paused, expecting a chorus of cheers. No one even clapped. Ginny thought she saw even Dumbledore roll his eyes.  
  
"Very nice, Ernie." Hermione tried to sound supportive but was not do a convincing job so she changed tactics, and addressed the group again. "Does anyone have any idea who might be responsible for these pranks?"  
  
Anthony Goldstein held up his hand half-heartedly. "Fred and George Weasley." Several laughed while Hermione and Ernie just look disgusted.  
  
"Seriously. Does anyone have any clues at all?" There was much looking around the room, but no one spoke.  
  
Dumbledore chose that moment to take back control of the meeting. "I suggest we all keep our eyes and ears open for any possible clues. If you find anything, please tell either Professor McGonagall or Professor Snape. Thank you for your time. I suggest we return to the Great Hall to see if the others have left any food for us."  
  
They started to file out of the room. Only Dumbledore remained where he was. Since Ginny had been in the first row, she was among the last to leave. She thought she heard behind her, "This ought to be interesting." But when she turned around to see the speaker she only saw Professor Dumbledore, eyes twinkling, staring back at her.  
  
***  
  
Fay entered the Great Hall a minute before the prefects arrived. Ignoring her brother's questioning look, she went to her table. Soon a paper airplane was heading over to the Ravenclaw table. Patrick caught it and read.  
  
It said: ERNIE MACMILLIAN IS AFTER US. RUN FOR THE HILLS. P.S: SO ARE THE OTHER PREFECTS.  
  
The first thing Zack asked when he sat down was why Patrick was laughing so hard.  
  
A/N: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO. PRESS THE LITTLE BUTTON AND YOU CAN REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Masterharper: Shut up Jade. 


	8. The Matchmakers of the South Tower

Puck's Children  
  
By Masterharper and Jade  
  
Disclaimer: Nos Harrium Potter non habemus.  
  
Jade: Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match! Find me a-  
  
Masterharper: Stop singing Broadway tunes and let them read!  
  
Jade: Only if they promise to review.  
  
Masterharper: Please review! Just make her stop!  
  
Jade: Hmhmhm, hmhmhm, hmmm hmhmhmmm...::hums the tune::  
  
*  
  
Chapter 8  
  
The Matchmakers of the South Tower  
  
The Sunday after the Howlers was fairly uneventful. It was a glorious day, and the students were outside enjoying it. The prefects seemed a little on edge, but few were feeling sympathetic toward them. The prefects had spent the previous day going through every room, every dorm, and every student's trunk and other personal items, leading to a few rather embarrassing discoveries. By noon everyone had heard about Zachariah Smith's "personal" magazines. It was all the more shocking since he was in Hufflepuff. A few students confused him with Patrick's best friend and Ravenclaw Prefect, Zachariah Arrowsmith. That resulted in Zack having several girls coming up to him to scold him and occasionally slap him. But there was one girl who asked him out because of the misunderstanding. Patrick was still teasing him about it at lunch.  
  
Most of the students took advantage of the sunny day by studying outside or by simply just being out there playing, fooling around, or relaxing by the lake. More than one sneaked off to the gardens to do studying of a different kind. Little did anyone suspect that they themselves were being studied.  
  
***  
  
"More juice?" Patrick offered.  
  
"Yes please." Fay turned and held her cup so that Patrick could pour from the pitcher they were splitting. She turned back to her pair of binoculars that were currently focused on one of the greenhouses. "Darn, they took a breath while you were distracting me."  
  
Patrick rolled his eyes. "Oh no, I distracted you from you duties as a peeping tom. And maybe they don't come up for air."  
  
Fay glared at him. "How am I supposed to know who they are if they don't separate their faces for five seconds? And who are you to call ME a peeping tom?"  
  
"I don't watch people who are.enjoying eachothers' company." He looked through his binoculars, ignoring that she stuck her tongue out at him. They both knew that if they were caught they would be accused of being peeping toms or worse.  
  
The two of them were sitting comfortably in deck chairs that Patrick had transfigured out of two of Mr. Filch's buckets. This might have required some explaining, but what would have really gotten them in trouble was that they were spying on their fellow students from their chairs using binoculars. Not to mention the fact they were sitting on the roof of one of the towers, the South Tower to be exact.  
  
"If we don't watch people 'enjoying eachothers' company' how are we going to get any dirt on them?" Irritation and just a touch of sarcasm were woven into her question.  
  
"Watch and learn you should," Patrick answered, doing a horrible imitation of a little green guy from a muggle movie he had seen once. Speaking clearer, he explained. "It's not the ones who show their affection that we can have fun with. It's the ones that try to hide it, particularly if they hide it from themselves. The ones who would do anything to make sure no one knew how they truly feel."  
  
Fay nodded, it made sense. "Remind me why we're trying to get info on the students."  
  
Patrick raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You're Slytherin. It's your instinct to get blackmail material."  
  
Fay nodded in agreement. "I know why I'm doing this. I want to know why you're here."  
  
Thinking it over for a moment Patrick answered, "If we complete only half our plans and get caught, we are going to need pull every string we can just so we don't get expelled. Any bit of info we might have on one person, especially if their parents are influential, might be the deciding factor."  
  
Fay smiled wickedly. "I'll make a Slytherin out of you yet. Now let's get back to business." She looked through her pair of binoculars toward the lake. "There's Malfoy talking to one of the seventh year girls by those two rocks. Oops. Those rocks are Crabbe and Goyle."  
  
"That's of no use. Everyone knows that Malfoy's unfaithful to whats-her- name, the girl who wears too much makeup."  
  
"Pansy Parkinson. Hey, over there by Hagrid's Hut. It's the Potter Boy making googly eyes at his girlfriend. His sidekick's with them."  
  
"That's not his girlfriend. That's Hermione Granger. Ron's the one 'making googly eyes' at her. She and Harry are just friends," Patrick explained.  
  
"Yeah right. Look at them. The Hero and the bookish, yet pretty, girl who helps him through his quests. It's the classic story line."  
  
"It's Hermione and Ron. Everyone knows they've been sweet on one another since second year. And I have five Gallons to back that up."  
  
"You should be ashamed of yourself betting on people's personal lives." Fay paused for a moment. "Make it ten and you're on." Patrick produced a pad of paper and a quill out of his robes and wrote the wager down.  
  
"Ten for me on HG and R. Ten for you on HG and H."  
  
"If you don't think he'll end up with Granger than who?"  
  
"My money's on the other Weasley."  
  
"Ginny?! Why?!"  
  
"He's already rescued her once and she's had a huge crush on him since, well, before I knew her. Her brother is his best friend and he's already been in her house twice."  
  
"In her room?" Fay asked, implying a great deal with her tone. She received a knock on the head for that.  
  
"No. At least, I don't think so. Last time he was at her house she was still scared to talk to him, so I doubt it."  
  
"Do I sense jealously? Worried that your girlfriend might leave you for the celebrity?" She ducked when the hand came this time. "Ok, ok, maybe not. If you're so sure about it, put money on it."  
  
"Not until you put money on her and someone."  
  
"Fine. Five Gallons on Ginny and .Draco." They looked at eachother for a moment and then burst out laughing. After a bit Fay stopped. "Hold on. It could work."  
  
Patrick looked at her as if she had grown two heads. "Are you insane? Sorry, wrong question. Which alternate universe are you channeling right now?"  
  
"Hear me out. It would be a Romeo and Juliet-like romance. The two families hate eachother."  
  
"If you start saying 'Draco, Draco, where for art thou, Draco,' I'll push you off the roof."  
  
"Or a Cinderella thing since they're from completely different social classes."  
  
"Next you'll say that Granger and Malfoy will fall in love."  
  
Fay grinned. "That could work too. The whole forbidden love thing since he's a diehard pureblood and she's muggleborn."  
  
"Fine, if you want to go into a fantasy world, we will. How about Luna and Harry? They've both lost parents. They've both seen people die. And they shared that incident that happened at the Ministry of Magic last year. They are both outcasts of a sort too."  
  
"Ooh, I got one. Granger and Snape-"  
  
"Stop right there. I really don't need the mental picture of a romantic Snape whispering sweet-nothings in Hermione's ear. ARRAGH.It's getting worse." He placed his hands over his ears and shut his eyes, as if that somehow blocked it out.  
  
"He's not that bad looking. Quite charming in a way I suppose-"  
  
"Another word and I'll hex you till you're a lifeless gray blob. If you're going to continue, do not, I repeat, DO NOT, use any of the Professors in your couplings from h-"  
  
"Like you can't see the possible connection between the Headmaster and McGonagall."  
  
"That I can stand, but DON'T go anywhere else on that path."  
  
"Fine. Who's left then?"  
  
"There's Ron and Luna."  
  
Fay snorted. "Luna could do much better than someone's sidekick."  
  
"I know you think Luna is the greatest person since, well, ever, but try to remember you started this. Anyway, she's the only one who's still singing that Weasley song. That is, the only one besides Crabbe and Goyle. I don't think they know any other songs though."  
  
"What about Zack and Luna or even Luna and you-"  
  
"I'm not going to talk about my best friend's love life with you and don't you even dare bring me into this."  
  
"But there's no one left to talk about."  
  
"So?" Patrick returned to looking through his binoculars. Fay sighed and began to look too. Suddenly she turned to Patrick.  
  
"Draco, Draco, where for art thou, Dra-"  
  
She never finished her sentence. She suddenly found herself sitting in a bucket, sliding down the roof. Somehow she managed to grab a hold of something before she fell off.  
  
*  
  
Ginny and Luna were walking back to the castle. Luna was studying the grass while Ginny was going on about Quidditch.  
  
Suddenly a large object hurtled down in front of Ginny, missing her by one step. It formed a small crater in the ground. Ginny just stared.  
  
Luna looked over in front of Ginny. "It is one of Mr. Filch's buckets. We should return it." Luna picked it up and went toward the castle.  
  
Looking up, Ginny thought she saw someone at the top of the South Tower.  
  
*  
  
Less then fifteen minutes later Ginny was walking slowly along one of Hogwarts' many corridors, alone. Luna had not even slowed down when Ginny had started exclaiming that someone had tried to impale her. She assumed that Luna was off somewhere trying to find Mr. Filch. After a minute of recovering from the shock of almost getting squished by a bucket, Ginny had run up the stairs to the South Tower, anxious to find her attackers. When she arrived not a soul, living anyway, was in the area. She had checked the top five floors and the roof and found almost nothing. On the top floor however, she found a bucket that was a twin to the one that almost killed her, a pitcher half full of pumpkin juice, two cups, and a note.  
  
The note appeared to be hastily written in a rather formal style. The combination made it difficult to read. She stepped onto the top floor balcony to get better light. It read: Dear Virginia Weasley, Terribly sorry for the accident that sent a liquid container hurtling at dangerous speeds toward your head. If it is of any comfort, it was neither intended to fall nor was it aimed at you. Unfortunately, accidents happen and we all are, at least most of the time, subject to the law of gravity. Rest assured, we are almost entirely certain it will not happen again. We have decided to let you have our pumpkin juice as a means of apology.  
  
Ginny blinked. This letter was absurd. If it were not for the fact that she had just recently had a brush with death she would be laughing right now. However, she had just recently had a brush with death so the letter only angered her. She noticed that there was a little more. It read: Sincerely yours, The Descendants of Puck.  
  
That was what she was thinking about while she was strolling down the corridor. The Descendants of Puck. She had no idea who or what they were. She couldn't even think of who Puck was. Perhaps Hermione would know; she actually paid attention in History class.  
  
She passed Allen Longfellow and Kyle Armstrong along the way. They were examining one of the suits of armor.  
  
"How do you think they breathed, Kyle?"  
  
"How should I know? You shouldn't be climbing on it!"  
  
"I just want to see it up close. Hey, there are holes in the back. Maybe they had eyes in the back of their head?"  
  
"Did you ever think that they just put it up wrong?"  
  
Allen just looked at Kyle. "Don't be a nutter."  
  
Ginny didn't even bother correcting or scolding them.  
  
She kept walking until she reached a courtyard. It was full of students but she quickly picked out one head of blond hair that had a wand sticking out of it. Walking over, she noticed that there were quite a few students gathered around her.  
  
Luna was sitting on the bucket that had recently almost pummeled Ginny. Sitting on the ground in front of her was Patrick's little sister, Fay, staring at Luna with an awed look while Luna described her exploits in search of Snorkack. Standing along one wall were Patrick, Zack, Colin, and Dennis Creevley watching and listening with varying degrees of interest.  
  
"And then we checked the traps and the bait was gone."  
  
"Then what did you do?" asked Fay, her voice full of amazement.  
  
"The only thing we could do. We had breakfast." There was an attempt by the boys not to laugh. Colin and Dennis didn't succeed.  
  
In one movement Fay stood and whirled to face them. If looks could kill, a good portion of Scotland would have been destroyed. When she spoke, it did not take much imagination to see a serpent bearing its fangs ready to strike. Venom seemed to drip from every word she said. "And what, pray tell, would you two Gryffindorks have done?"  
  
The Creevely brothers seemed to shrink back from her, attempting to become one with the wall. The others watched with interest, except for Luna who watching an ant. Patrick was having an even harder time holding his laughter than before. After a moment Colin seemed to realize that he was cowering from an eleven-year-old girl.  
  
"You shouldn't speak to us like that. We are older you." Dennis nodded his head furiously in agreement.  
  
Fay moved closer to the two of them. Even though the younger of the two Creevely brothers was two heads taller she still seemed to tower over them. "I asked you a question." The Creevelys attempted to explain what they would have done. Ginny wasn't sure but they seemed to settle on that the sun got in their eyes. "I see. Perhaps I should help clear your mind." She reached into her robes and pulled out nothing. Immediately she spun around to face Patrick who was dangling Fay's wand just out of arms reach. He also had a hand inside his own robes ready to draw his wand. She sent him a glance that made the one before look motherly. Patrick held his ground. Behind him Zack cringed.  
  
"Enough, Fay."  
  
Fay's eyes narrowed in anger. "Like I need it." She turned back toward the brothers who had thought that they had just been saved only to fear for their life again. For every step she took toward them they took two back. Their reaction seemed to placate her. She smiled and walked away, grabbing her wand from her brother on the way out.  
  
Luna was the first to speak. "Hello Ginny."  
  
"Hello Luna." She looked around at the assembled group. "Did I miss something?"  
  
Zack was gaping at her again. Patrick turned to Colin. "Now look what you've done."  
  
Colin laughed nervously. "Yeah, I guess your right."  
  
Patrick shook his head. "No, you don't get it. Now you're marked men. At every opportunity, she will try to increase your fear of her."  
  
Dennis now looked very frightened. "But you can stop her, right?"  
  
Patrick gave a small laugh. "She's only in first year. I can handle her, for now. By fourth, Dumbledore and You-Know-Who will have to join forces to get her to stop." He turned to face Ginny. "Is it true that you almost got beheaded by a bucket?" He asked with a hint of laughter.  
  
Ginny took a moment to remember. The fight had taken her mind off that incident. "Yeah." She gave a half-laugh. "Some group called the Descendants of Puck."  
  
Colin finally found his voice and asked, "Who's Puck?"  
  
Ginny shrugged. "I have no idea."  
  
Dennis decided to contribute, "It sounds like-"  
  
Fortunately Colin stopped him. "We know Dennis. Trust me, we know."  
  
"We know what?" Luna asked.  
  
There was a jumble of excuses of places people had to be. Ginny, Patrick, Colin, and Dennis left, leaving a still gaping Zack to explain to a confused Luna. 


	9. 11:29 and All is Well

Disclaimer: Four score and seven years ago, we did not own Harry Potter. Funny how things don't change.  
  
Masterharper: Sorry it took so long.  
  
Jade: SooooaarREEY EEEIt tOOOooOK ssOOOo LoOOaNNng.  
  
Masterharper: For the last time you can't speak whale!  
  
Jade: ThaaAAAtSssss wWhAAht YoUUUUUuuuUU thIeeeIEeNnkK.  
  
Masterharper: WhaaAAAtTeeEvVVVEEEAaRr.  
  
Jade: Wow, I wish I could speak whale.  
  
Masterharper: OooaANNNnnN toooOOOOOOo thEeeeEEE SsstoooOOOOOOReeeeEEEeeey!  
  
A/N: We don't own Finding Nemo either.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 9  
  
"11:29 AND ALL IS WELL"  
  
"How will this help us defeat Evil?" asked Ron, holding up a drooping leaf that had fallen off a plant he had been repotting.  
  
"Ron! Be careful with that!" Hermione exclaimed. After repotting her own plant and taking care not to harm a single leaf, she crossed her arms and fixed Ron with her stare. "The pollen of the Beebop plant can cause severe drowsiness, making it highly useful in sleeping potions and such. It also takes affect as soon as it touches any exposed skin, which is why we are wearing our gloves. That means be careful with it."  
  
"That explains Neville," Harry commented. He nodded over to Neville's unconscious body that the class was currently taking great care not to step on. One of the leaves had brushed his face when he had picked the plant up.  
  
"Hmmm...yes, I suppose," Hermione reluctantly agreed.  
  
"How much time do we have left?"  
  
"According to my watch it should be 11:30 in five seconds-" Suddenly she was cut off by the loud breaking of a flowerpot behind her. The sound startled everyone and they turned to see what had happened.  
  
A yellow blur the size of a head was hurtling toward Harry, he ducked just in time thanks to his quidditch-honed instincts. Unfortunately Professor Sprout, who had been moving one of the plants when the pot broke, didn't have those instincts. The blur pummeled through the pot of the plant that she was holding and hit her in the stomach. She let out a soft 'oomph' and fell over. It appeared that the wind was knocked out of her but she didn't have a chance to recover before the Beebop plant she had been holding land on her face. Sprout went out like a light.  
  
The blur zoomed upward toward the ceiling and went through the glass. The shards landed and all noise seemed to cease. The students began to straighten themselves and come out from below their desks that they had taken refuge under. They soon dived under the tables again when the blur came through another panel in the ceiling. It shot through a panel over Ernie MacMillan and hit the ground a breath away from him with enough force to cause him to fall. The blur rose and sped toward Ernie MacMillan who barely rolled out of the way. Harry managed to get a look at when it smashed into the ground and did a quick double take when he recognized it. It was a bludger, a yellow bludger, with some kind of black markings on it.  
  
He didn't have enough time to register what the markings were because the bludger shot out through one of the side glass panels and everyone heard it go through the greenhouse that was next-door, Greenhouse 1. A few students made a dash to the door but hadn't gotten very far before the bludger came careening through making a damaging wandering path that blasted through flowerpots, window panes, and tables. Students successfully managed to stay out of the erratic path of the bludger but not all the students were able to avoid the falling derbies. More than one student, mostly Hufflepuffs, had a flowerpot land on their heads, knocking them out. Finally Ron had had enough.  
  
"I'll stop it!" He yelled with just a little dramatization.  
  
"Ron, no!" Harry yelled, "That's no ordinary bludger-" Ron either ignored or didn't hear him.  
  
"Accio Bludger!" He would be asked several times later why he summoned a bludger toward himself and he would always make up some excuse, but the truth was he had just not thought it through. The bludger raced toward Ron and hit him square on in the stomach. The bludger carried him across the greenhouse and through one of the walls. Somehow the Ron slid off the bludger as it sped off toward some of the other greenhouses.  
  
Hermione and Harry rushed out of Greenhouse 3 and to Ron's aid while the bludger wrecked havoc in Greenhouse 5. "Ron, Ron! Are you ok?" Hermione asked.  
  
Ron looked at Hermione and said groggily, "Helllooo Fleur. Youuu look loooverlyyy today."  
  
Hermione sighed and glanced at Harry, who was trying not to laugh. "He's hurt. We should get him to the Hospital Wing right away."  
  
"Him and half the class." Harry looked around at the devastation. He could see into Greenhouse 3, the entire front wall was gone except for about two panes. Students were helping eachother stand up and trying not to brush against the plants. They could hear the bludger destroying Greenhouse 5. "But first we better take care of that bludger."  
  
"How do you usually stop it? Like, you know, when you guys practice."  
  
"We catch it."  
  
"Fleur havvve yooou met 'Mionee? She's smaaarrt. And preeettty. Smaaarrt and preetty." Harry and Hermione looked at Ron for a moment in shock.  
  
Hermione recovered first. "Yeah, I guess that might not work. Someone must have altered it. We should be able to stop it with magic."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Oh really Harry, all these years and you still haven't learned a thing."  
  
"Well if you have, here's your chance to prove it." The bludger had apparently finished with Greenhouse 5 and was currently heading toward Greenhouse 1. Hermione drew her wand and stood up to cast her spell.  
  
"IMMOBOLIS!" The bludger froze in place. Before Harry could congratulate Hermione the yellow sphere began to turn slowly. Soon the black marks faced toward them, two dots and a line. Harry and Hermione stared at it for a moment before it registered in their minds what it was.  
  
"A smiley face?!" Harry exclaimed in astonishment. They didn't have time to ponder what that meant because a second after he spoke the bludger came hurtling toward them. They managed to avoid it but the bludger slammed into the castle wall, sending dust and small chunks of rock falling on them. Harry spat out the dust that had gotten into his mouth and tried to wipe the dust out of his eyes with the sleeve of his robes. He saw Hermione trying to get Ron behind one of the greenhouses and the bludger was coming around for another pass.  
  
Suddenly Harry could hear the heroic trumpets sounding (actually it was Peeves trying to disrupt a class with a bugle he had found, but Harry didn't know that). He knew what he had to do. He ran toward the bludger and started shouting, trying to get its attention.  
  
Remembering the bludger wasn't alive and didn't have attention, he hit it with an immobolis spell. The bludger soon gave chase and Harry ran for it.  
  
The yellow blur didn't follow Harry directly. It instead took a more marauding path, smashing through greenhouses, scraping the castle wall, and blasting through plants. Reaching a dead end Harry turned to see the bludger plowing through Greenhouse 8. The bludger seemed to be aiming right for him.  
  
Time seemed to slow as the bludger zeroed in on Harry's head. Harry knew that if the bludger hit him Madame Pomfrey would have a hard time piecing him back together. On top of that the bludger would hunt down his fellow classmates. With Professor Sprout out of the fight for who knows how long, there wasn't a teacher present to save the others from injury, and it would take some time for another teacher to show up.  
  
Suddenly a long, thick green tentacle shot out of Greenhouse 8. It wrapped around the yellow bludger and drew it back into the greenhouse. Harry blinked in surprise and cringed when he started hearing the crunching of thick metal coming from the greenhouse.  
  
He moved closer and noticed that the windowpanes on Greenhouse 8 were actually three windows like they have on airplanes, and that they were extra thick. What was in there Harry didn't know, he had never been in there, and judging by the sounds he didn't want to.  
  
He started to head back toward Ron and Hermione but stopped when he saw Neville, who apparently had finally recovered from his brush with the beebop plant.  
  
"Harry, what happened?"  
  
*  
  
Elsewhere things weren't quite so...messy. The charms classroom was calm for once. Usually there were spells going wrong or just someone hexing the guy who stole his girlfriend. But this was a lecture day, so the students were just sitting there, trying not to fall asleep.  
  
"As you can see the twirl at the end of the acceleration spell is clockwise and so is completely different from...Mr. Arrowsmith are you paying attention?"  
  
Zack Arrowsmith awoke with a start. "Yes sir, hanging on every word Professor Binns-I mean, Professor Flitwick." There was some giggling from the female students and smirks from the male. Professor Flitwick was not amused, as evident by the glare he was sending from the top of a pile of books down to Zack.  
  
"I see. Then you wouldn't mind writing a two foot essay about what I had been talking about."  
  
Every student heard Zack's sigh and yet Flitwick seemed to miss it because he continued his lecture. Zack looked at his watch and saw that it was 11:30. Looking back up at the Professor, he leaned back trying to find a comfortable position that made it look like he was paying attention.  
  
After a bit he looked down at his desk to make sure he had something that looked like notes. Looking back up he noticed Professor Flitwick was not where he had been, but was a bit lower. Zack found this odd and watched him for a moment. He seemed to be getting slowly shorter. Zack closed his eyes and shook his head as if something had been wrong with his eyes that shaking them would cure. Again he looked and saw that Flitwick wasn't getting shorter, the pile of books he stood on was, making it appear that the professor was shrinking very slowly.  
  
Zack looked around to see if the others noticed. Most were zoning out, a rare accomplishment considering it was a Ravenclaw class. Luna was across the room but it was never possible to see if she was there mentally. Next to him Patrick had a slight grin, the he-knows-something-that-no-one-else- does grin, which could mean he saw it to. Then again, Patrick had that grin a lot. On the other hand, Patrick didn't miss much, so he probably saw it. As Zack looked around a few of the other students had confused or curious looks on their face.  
  
He glanced back at the Proffessor who was starting to look a bit confused. He probably was noticing how his sitting students were starting to look taller. After a few minutes, Flitwick started trailing off at the end of his sentences. Almost every student was paying attention now and a few were giggling into their hands.  
  
Finally Professor Flitwick shouted, "What is so funny?" as he disappeared behind his desk.  
  
*  
  
Ginny was currently studying the wood grains on her desk. She should be paying attention, but this was History of Magic class. No force on earth could pay attention five minutes into Professor Binns lectures. Of course, there had been tales of a student who always paid attention, but most students dismissed them as fantasy. Then again Ginny knew who the stories were based on, Hermione Granger, so they might be true.  
  
Looking around the room she saw the rest of the class was somewhere between bored and comatose. From her seat she could see Colin Creevey's watch, for she was too lazy to check her own. It read-  
  
She never had the opportunity to process which way the hands were pointing. Suddenly a piercing scream-like sound that made bludgers hitting her head during a quidditch match seem pleasant cut through the room. She covered her ears, dampening the sound, but it still was painful. Her fellow students were in various states of pain. Most were covering their ears like she was. A few were on the ground writhing in pain. Two of the students were trying to open the door. It wouldn't open. Even when one of them cast a spell, which sent him flying across the room into Professor Binns podium, the door didn't even shudder.  
  
Professor Binns, setting new standards even for him, seemed not to notice the sound or his students' suffering. When one student smashed into his podium with enough force to cause it to wobble he just turned a page and continued lecturing on the third Wizard Council. Then Ginny started noticing something odd. Whenever the Professor stopped to take a breath, he took one out of habit rather then necessity, the sound stopped for a moment. Colin turned to Ginny and yelled something. The noise in the room increased for a moment while he was talking. Ginny realized what was happening and signaled Colin to be quiet. She grabbed a piece of paper and quickly wrote: SOMEHOW OUR VOICES ARE BEING ALTERED- MADE HIGH PITCHED.  
  
Colin nodded while wearing an expression that showed he didn't fully comprehend. Ginny showed the paper around the room. Some of the students looked at her like she was nuts but stayed quiet. The class sat in silence while they tried to hide their ears from Professor Binn's high pitch wailing. At the end of class the door burst open on its own and everyone left knowing a little more about the Wizard Council.  
  
*  
  
In Muggle Studies, the remote control cars they were examining suddenly got a life of their own and attacked the students. The professor was very surprised when, upon entering the room after stepping out into the hallway, the students were standing on their chairs while the cars tried to climb up the chair legs.  
  
*  
  
In Divination the crystal balls, for the first time in anyone's memory, actually showed something to everyone. Oddly enough it was a vision of Professor Snape engaged in various activities in every single one. According to Professor Trelawny, the student who saw Snape picking his nose was going to end up in the hospital wing soon. The one who saw Snape sleeping was going suffer a close loss next week. For some reason Trelawny wouldn't even talk to the person who saw Professor Snape on a chamber pot. She dismissed the class, casting glances at that student and quickly turning away looking like she was going to cry.  
  
*  
  
No student that was there ever forgot what happened in potions, but they seemed to disagree on what did happen. It started normally enough, for a Slytherin/Gryffindor class anyway. It was a class of first years so Professor Snape was lecturing and asking questions. Oddly enough the most talented student in the class, a Slytherin of course, didn't seem to be paying attention to him. She was looking at her watch. At 11:29 she looked up and began paying attention as if she was an angelic student. This should have been the first sign that something was wrong. For everyone in that classroom knew she was the farthest thing from an angel. Fortunately for Fay, no one was watching her.  
  
It started with a small buzzing sound. At first Professor Snape thought someone was humming. He cast his gaze over the class trying to catch the fiend, ready to take points from Gryffindor even if it was a Slytherin. He couldn't find anyone so he prepared to "catch" a Gryffindor that had been acting a bit smug. Then one of the Slytherins, Vladimir Tudor, looked into his cauldron, an action he would regret when he woke up later in the hospital wing with bandages wrapped around his head.  
  
His face was grabbed by little hands and claws which pulled into the caldron with enough speed and force that he banged his head on the rim, knocking him unconscious. In some respects he was one of the lucky ones.  
  
Before Vladimir could slump to the floor, chaos broke loose. Out of every caldron poured two dozen pixies. The students attempted to flee from the pixies; they were first years that didn't have a clue how to handle the huge number of pixies. Actually one knew but had no intention of showing others. In fact, she intended to make the problem much worse.  
  
"Remain calm, students! Remain calm!" Professor Snape said in attempt to stop the children from running around. It didn't work. "I will be casting an immoblis spell to stop them so please take cover." It would be annoying to explain how his students were made frozen to the headmaster.  
  
One girl seemed to perk up at this, her eyes growing wide with excitement. "I know that one! My brother taught me!" She drew her wand.  
  
"That will not be necessary Miss MacGreg-" It was too late. Fay cast the spell in the direction of the largest group of pixies. Unfortunately, Professor Snape had just moved into the same area. Snape, along with a large number of pixies, was hit with a full blast and froze in place.  
  
However, most of the pixies were still free and causing trouble. A swarm was chasing Kyle Armstrong around the room. Kyle wasn't the most coordinated person and was therefore knocking over cauldrons, tables, bags, and people. He even ran into Snape once. Kyle's best friend, Allen Longfellow, appeared to be confused with what he was supposed to be doing; he was chasing a group of pixies around the room. The Ellis twins had overturned a table forming a little fort they were defending while swinging books wildly around. The pixies not occupied with chasing or terrorizing the students decided to have a little fun with the stuff lying around. Unfortunately this was a potions classroom.  
  
Entire shelves of potion flasks were thrown onto the floor. In the most harmless cases, the liquids changed colors or made the floor icy. In a few cases, the combined potions caused explosions that sent students, pixies, and furniture flying or melted through the stone floor. A few pixies drank the potions with interesting results. Several started flying around drunkenly. Others disappeared or exploded. One sat down in a chair and picked up a quill and wrote an essay on the history of potions on Easter Island.  
  
During this time a few pixies noticed Gilda Dagmar's perfect long flowing hair. Four pixies flew at it like dive-bombers. "MY HAIR! SOMEBODY SAVE ME! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL ME! OR WORSE!" she shrieked at the top of her lungs which, even with all the chaos, was still heard. Fay turned and saw her housemate's predicament. She was tempted to do nothing, after all Gilda had caused her quite a bit of pain.  
  
"Hold on, Gilda I'm coming." Fay ran over a little slower than she should have, to heighten the drama more than any other reason. She drew her wand dramatically and pointed it at Gilda. She said nothing, but a soft blue light emerged from her wand and hit Gilda with enough force to knock her into a wall. Gilda sat upright and coughed up soap. Gilda grimaced as she tasted it in her mouth. Fay stood there at least looking apologetic. "At least the pixies aren't in your hair anymore," she said uncharacteristically brightly. Gilda tried to explain how stupid Fay was for screwing up so badly, but all that happened was that she drooled soap onto her shirt. Fay shrugged her apology.  
  
Snape was starting to get a small amount of movement back in his body. He could move his eyes but nothing else. He looked around. Fay moved in front of him. "I'll get you moving again, Professor. Hold on." She stuck out her wand a second time and another blue light emerged and hit Snape. Fortunately he did not go flying. In fact he was not sure what had happened, for he still couldn't move. Fay grimaced and looked at her wand. "I have to get this thing looked at." She walked off and started stunning or destroying pixies in various ways.  
  
Eventually Professor Snape regained control over his body and the students had stunned or gotten rid of the pixies. He attempted to speak to them and felt a wet trickle run down his chin and had an odd taste in his mouth. Two thoughts popped into his mind: "I hate first years," and "Someone WILL pay."  
  
Professor Dumbledore chose that instant to enter the room. He surveyed the devastation and turned to Professor Snape. "I don't remember this in the curriculum." Snape responded by drooling soap onto his chest. "Professor Snape, is everything all right?" Only one person saw Fay smile.  
  
***  
  
Later, a fully functional Snape stood behind the chair that had been offered to him in Dumbledore's office. A tense Professor McGonagall sat in the chair next to Snape's. Dumbledore entered the room quietly and sat down behind his desk.  
  
"A most interesting day. The only teachers that do not have a student in the hospital wing are Hagrid and Sinistra. Extraordinary, given Hagrid's record and the fact that Professor Sinistra did not have a class."  
  
McGonagall shifted in her seat. "Extraordinary is not the word I would choose, Albus."  
  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Really? Almost every class was disrupted at exactly the same time, in a completely different way. What word would you choose?" He looked at the two in front of him with an air of infinite patience.  
  
Snape was the one who answered. "Dangerous. Disruptive. Illegal."  
  
"Dangerous? No one was permanently hurt. Disruptive? The students have never learned more defense or stopping spells. Tell me Minerva, what was it like chasing hundreds of half-invisible mice around for an hour?" McGonagall sent him an icy glare that she must have stole from Snape.  
  
"That leaves illegal," Snape pointed out.  
  
"True." Dumbledore nodded sagely. "However, we are still not certain what was actually done. Most of them were quite ingenious actually." He grinned, much to the annoyance of the others. "And to be honest, you have to figure out who did them before we punish them."  
  
"Isn't it obvious? It's the criminals who have been causing havoc since the beginning of the year."  
  
"Whom neither you nor Mr. Filch has been able to catch or identify."  
  
Snape turned around and began to walk toward the door. "Oh we will, Headmaster, that I promise. Even if it takes all year, I will find them and make them wish their parents had never even seen eachother." 


End file.
